SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.— A judge denied bond Monday to an Apopka man accused of dragging a deputy during a traffic stop near Heathrow.

On Sunday, Rocky Rudolph Jr, 38, was pulled over by Deputy Aaron Blais for a window-tint violation. Rudolph tried to drive away, dragging Blais about 200 yards toward Interstate 4 as Blais clung onto the window, authorities say.

The incident was captured on dashboard-camera video, which was released Saturday. Rudolph was slated to make his first appearance in court Monday.

Blais fired his weapon during his struggle with Rudolph, according to the Sheriff's Office. 

Rudolph lost control of his SUV, causing Blais to be thrown to the ground. Blais was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

Rudolph ditched his SUV and ran off, prompting a multi-agency, hours-long manhunt. Inside the SUV, deputies said they found a handgun that had been reported stolen out of Seminole County in 2016. 

Rudolph was found eight hours later in a vehice driven by a family member, the Sheriff's Office said. He was taken to a hospital for a gunshot wound to the leg.

“This was a very dangerous situation. Our deputy’s life was put at risk by a career criminal who had no regard for his well-being,” Sheriff Dennis Lemma said in a statement Sunday. “I applaud Deputy Blais’s professionalism and dedication to duty.”

Rudolph was released from a hospital late Sunday and booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Sanford. He faces multiple charges, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer with violence.

Court records show Rudolph has an extensive criminal history. Records show he was found guilty and convicted in September 2012 on three charges: fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, possession of a weapon or ammunition by convicted felon, and driving on a suspended license for second time.

Rudolph was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in October 2014. He was given credit for 473 days he already served in jail. He entered the state prison system in January 2015 and was released in October 2015.

Rocky Rudolph. (Courtesy of Seminole County Sheriff's Office)
Rocky Rudolph. (Courtesy of Seminole County Sheriff's Office)