Detectives: Man Who Led Police On Chase, Named Person Of Interest In Fort Lauderdale Beach Double Murder
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A Pennsylvania man who was taken into custody after he led Fort Lauderdale police on a slow-speed chase on I-95 was named a person of interest in a recent Fort Lauderdale beach double murder.
Daniel Dovi, 64, is facing a number of charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault, in an incident that led to the chase.
Dovi made his first court appearance in court Wednesday.
The Fort Lauderdale police says Dovi is a person of interest in the double murders of two men whose bodies were found on the beach on Tuesday morning.
Police spokeswoman Det. Ali Adamson said, "Right now we're encouraging residents and business owners to review their video footage from that night to see if there is anything that can help us or find to be suspicious."
CBS4 also learned new information about the gruesome murders.
According to a report from police, a caller told the 911 operator that
"Blood is everywhere." That same caller went on to say it appeared one of the men was "missing an arm."
Because of all the blood, the caller then began talking about one of the two victims saying, "There is another male there who looks like he is sleeping and that the male who is sleeping has blood on him. After that, the report said the caller was "...freaking out and thinks the sleeping male possibly isn't sleeping..."
During Wednesday's press conference, police said multiple-edged weapons were found in Dovi's vehicle.
Watch the Fort Lauderdale police press conference in its entirety:
"I do believe that Mr. Dovi is a danger to the community. I believe he's a flight risk," said prosecutor Eric Linder.
Linder asked the judge to up the bond. Dovi's brother testified that his brother has mental health issues.
"Dan was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been on disability for the last eight years. Very peaceful living In Pennsylvania and what I've heard is he has been off his medications for a year," said Anthony Dovi.
Bond was set at $97,000.
Witnesses said that Dovi had parked his Jeep in an empty lot in the 2600 block of Center Avenue and had been camping out.
When Michael Jones, the owner of the lot, asked Dovi to leave, he said it quickly turned violent. Jones said Dovi shoved him to the ground and threatened to kill him.
"I saw crazy in his eyes, I got back in my car," said Jones.
But that's not where it ended. Police say Dovi got in the Jeep and rammed a man in a golf cart before turning his attention back to Jones.
"I got back in the car at that point to try and put it in gear to get the hell out of here, there was no time. He floored it, put it in reverse, floored it, and slammed right into my Porsche," Jones said.
Jones said Dovi took off but came back as police were taking a report. Officers went after him, leading to a pursuit onto I-95, which ended when the Jeep flipped over near the Palm Beach County line and Dovi was taken into custody.
Dovi is also being looked at by police for another case. His alleged run-in happened just a few blocks away from the scene of a gruesome double murder.
Earlier in the day, Fort Lauderdale police said two men in their 40s were found stabbed to death on the beach in the 3000 Block of North Ocean Boulevard, not far from where Dovi had been in the lot.
Investigators are working to determine if the double homicide is connected to the incident involving Dovi.
"The incidents occurred within close proximity and timeframe to one another and as a result detectives are looking into the possibility that the two incidents may be related," said Det. Ali Adamson in a statement.
Anyone with information on the deaths is urged to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.