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No bond for man accused of hitting trooper's cruiser on purpose

Trooper purposefully struck, FHP says

A judge denied bond Tuesday for a Daytona Beach man accused of intentionally crashing his car into a state trooper's cruiser on the side of Interstate 4.
The trooper is OK.

The judge felt Ryan Hithersay is a danger to the community, despite protests from the public defender who argued Hithersay has no criminal history.

Hithersay told the judge he was “a little upset” that he wouldn’t be able to bond out.
Troopers said after Hithersay hit the trooper’s vehicle Monday afternoon in Sanford, Hithersay got out of his mangled Hyundai and told the trooper he did it on purpose.

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According to the police report, Hithersay told troopers he had a dislike for police and government.
Those statements, the judge said, were enough to hold him without bond, and make him a danger to the public.
The public defender told the judge that according to Hithersay's family, the man has history of mental illness.
Hithersay lives at Solution by the Sea in Daytona Beach, which is a men’s group home that helps those with addiction and incarceration. 
The Rev. Tobias Caskey, who helps men at the home, was shocked to hear of his arrest.
“Very nice guy, kept his house clean. He came out and played with his remote-control cars in the parking lot. Just an all-around nice guy,” he said.
Hithersay will be back in court for a hearing in March.
Jeff Levkulich

Jeff Levkulich, WFTV.com

Jeff Levkulich joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in June 2015.