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Adult charges, bad choices bring tragic end for teen
For his alleged role in a brutal assault and robbery in May, Jonathan Fontanez, 17, had already been arrested July 16, gone before a juvenile court judge July 17, and was scheduled to appear before two judges next week.
When prosecutors filed adult charges against him July 31 for the same May incident, it triggered another arrest warrant.
Fontanez was shot and killed while the Broward Sheriff's Office tried to serve that warrant at 2 a.m. Monday.
"It makes no sense," said Gordon Weekes, an assistant Broward public defender who handles juvenile cases. "The court already had control over this kid. He had no history of missing court dates. They could have waited for the arraignment to set bail or take him into custody."
Instead, the Broward Sheriff's Office dispatched a five-man tactical unit to arrest Fontanez in the middle of the night.
"It's pretty outrageous to go after a 17-year-old at 2 a.m.," said Frank de la Torre, a chief assistant public defender.
Authorities say Fontanez attacked deputies with a bat, injuring two, and attempted to grab an officer's gun during the scuffle outside his West Park home.
If that's true, it's hard to fault the deputies for their lethal response. Go after police with a bat, you pretty much deserve whatever comes your way.
Family and friends say Fontanez might have mistaken the deputies for home invaders, something the Sheriff's Office disputes.
With hundreds of outstanding arrest warrants in Broward, why did the Sheriff's Office decide to go after Fontanez?
Weekes said it's not unusual for juveniles whose cases get transferred to adult court to remain free until their arraignments, so long as the offense is eligible for bond. That was the case for Fontanez, charged with robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery/serious bodily injury.
His arraignment was scheduled for Aug. 21. He also had another juvenile hearing set for Aug. 18 before Circuit Judge Elijah Williams, who released Fontanez to 21 days of house supervision last month.
In May, Fontanez and his older brother allegedly robbed and beat a Hollywood landlord. According to the Broward State Attorney's office, Fontanez used a pair of brass knuckles in the $568 robbery, and the victim needed nine staples to the head for his wounds.
Ron Ishoy, a spokesman for the Broward State Attorney's Office, said the nature of the alleged crime and Fontanez's age (he turns 18 in December) led to adult charges. He also said that if a suspect isn't in custody when adult charges are filed, the clerk of court issues an arrest warrant.
"That pick-up order is sent to BSO, which apparently prioritizes its warrants based on the severity of the alleged crime," he said.
At 17, Fontanez was no stranger with the law. He had a few criminal traffic cases in his past, and an arson incident that got settled through a juvenile pre-trial diversion program.
After the May robbery, Hollywood police found the teen and his mother cooperative. Investigators even let him finish his high school exams, with the agreement that he would turn himself in after the school year.
But Fontanez apparently reneged on the arrangement, and he eluded Broward Sheriff's deputies when they came to his home in June.
He apparently made a series of bad choices that ultimately got him killed.
His biggest mistake may have been being a kid. In our two-pronged legal system, it meant two arrests for the same crime. Double jeopardy, indeed.
Adult charges, bad choices bring tragic end for teen
For his alleged role in a brutal assault and robbery in May, Jonathan Fontanez, 17, had already been arrested July 16, gone before a juvenile court judge July 17, and was scheduled to appear before two judges next week.
When prosecutors filed adult charges against him July 31 for the same May incident, it triggered another arrest warrant.
Fontanez was shot and killed while the Broward Sheriff's Office tried to serve that warrant at 2 a.m. Monday.
"It makes no sense," said Gordon Weekes, an assistant Broward public defender who handles juvenile cases. "The court already had control over this kid. He had no history of missing court dates. They could have waited for the arraignment to set bail or take him into custody."
Instead, the Broward Sheriff's Office dispatched a five-man tactical unit to arrest Fontanez in the middle of the night.
"It's pretty outrageous to go after a 17-year-old at 2 a.m.," said Frank de la Torre, a chief assistant public defender.
Authorities say Fontanez attacked deputies with a bat, injuring two, and attempted to grab an officer's gun during the scuffle outside his West Park home.
If that's true, it's hard to fault the deputies for their lethal response. Go after police with a bat, you pretty much deserve whatever comes your way.
Family and friends say Fontanez might have mistaken the deputies for home invaders, something the Sheriff's Office disputes.
With hundreds of outstanding arrest warrants in Broward, why did the Sheriff's Office decide to go after Fontanez?
Weekes said it's not unusual for juveniles whose cases get transferred to adult court to remain free until their arraignments, so long as the offense is eligible for bond. That was the case for Fontanez, charged with robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery/serious bodily injury.
His arraignment was scheduled for Aug. 21. He also had another juvenile hearing set for Aug. 18 before Circuit Judge Elijah Williams, who released Fontanez to 21 days of house supervision last month.
In May, Fontanez and his older brother allegedly robbed and beat a Hollywood landlord. According to the Broward State Attorney's office, Fontanez used a pair of brass knuckles in the $568 robbery, and the victim needed nine staples to the head for his wounds.
Ron Ishoy, a spokesman for the Broward State Attorney's Office, said the nature of the alleged crime and Fontanez's age (he turns 18 in December) led to adult charges. He also said that if a suspect isn't in custody when adult charges are filed, the clerk of court issues an arrest warrant.
"That pick-up order is sent to BSO, which apparently prioritizes its warrants based on the severity of the alleged crime," he said.
At 17, Fontanez was no stranger with the law. He had a few criminal traffic cases in his past, and an arson incident that got settled through a juvenile pre-trial diversion program.
After the May robbery, Hollywood police found the teen and his mother cooperative. Investigators even let him finish his high school exams, with the agreement that he would turn himself in after the school year.
But Fontanez apparently reneged on the arrangement, and he eluded Broward Sheriff's deputies when they came to his home in June.
He apparently made a series of bad choices that ultimately got him killed.
His biggest mistake may have been being a kid. In our two-pronged legal system, it meant two arrests for the same crime. Double jeopardy, indeed.
