A Broward County prosecutor pleaded no contest Tuesday to a misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.
Lilas Ayandeh, 32, who has been suspended without pay from her job since shortly after the July 30 incident, reached a plea agreement with Miami-Dade prosecutors. They handled the case to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest for the Broward State Attorney's Office.
The case against Ayandeh was first investigated as a hit-and-run accident involving a bicyclist who suffered minor injuries, Fort Lauderdale police said at the time.
Ayandeh was sentenced to 200 hours of community service. She must also attend driving school and make a $1,000 donation to the trauma unit at Broward General Medical Center.
Broward County Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren agreed to withhold adjudication if Ayandeh complies with the terms of her sentence.
According to police reports, Ayandeh's black, 2010 Audi left the scene after a bicyclist was struck about 12:20 a.m. July 30 at Northeast Fourth Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard.
The cyclist, who was crossing the street with the light in his favor, refused medical treatment at the scene, according to the police reports and witness statements.
Ayandeh's car, which did not stop, was followed by a park ranger, who wrote down her license plate number. The ranger lost track of the vehicle, which was going at a speed of up to 60 mph, according to the police report.
The vehicle, with damage to the outside mirror and right side, was later found by police at Ayandeh's home address.
Ed Griffith, the spokesman for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, said there were problems with proving the case, including determining who was driving the car at the time of the incident. Also, he said, witnesses gave conflicting accounts of what happened.
"One incident but three versions," Griffith said. "These complicating factors diminished one's ability to put together a great case, but we were able to salvage enough to get this resolution."
Ayandeh's lawyer, Jason Kreiss, said she "was not given any preferential treatment by any arm of law enforcement."
"The Miami Dade County State Attorney's Office did an independent investigation and we negotiated an equitable resolution. At no point in time did the Office of the Broward State Attorney exert any influence over how this case was to be resolved," Kreiss said.
Ayandeh's job status has not yet been decided. She has worked as a Broward prosecutor since May 1, 2006.
"As of now, Lilas is still on suspension from here. and so far there have been no discussions between her and our senior managers about what the next step might be," said Ron Ishoy, a spokesman for the Broward State Attorney's Office.
The Florida Bar had not yet been formally notified of the matter, spokeswoman Francine Walker said Wednesday. Ayandeh could face professional discipline.
Paula McMahon can be reached at pmcmahon@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4533.