Crime  | 

Cops Say Woman Intentionally Drove Car Into Courthouse

Damages may reach $200K at federal building in West Palm Beach, Florida
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 16, 2026 8:49 AM CST
Cops: Woman Rammed Car Into Courthouse, Damages at $200K
Damage is covered by plywood at the front entrance of the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, after a woman drove her car into the building.   (AP Photo/Cody Jackson)

A woman intentionally crashed her vehicle through the front entrance of a South Florida federal courthouse building after regular hours, causing about $200,000 in damage, authorities said. Investigators determined the 55-year-old woman drove into the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building in West Palm Beach around 11pm on Wednesday, police said in a Thursday news release. There was damage to the building's front doors, security equipment, and interior furnishings, per the AP. No injuries were reported. The woman fled the scene but was arrested a short time later, police said.

Investigators didn't immediately say why the woman crashed her vehicle into the building. The woman was charged with one count of felony criminal mischief. She was being held on $5,000 bail; jail records didn't list an attorney for her. "We take incidents of this nature very seriously. Acts of violence and property destruction will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," West Palm Beach Police Chief Tony Araujo said in a statement.

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