A Volusia County Fire Services battalion chief was attacked by a man apparently high on bath salts when the chief stopped to help a woman the suspect had frightened by jumping on her vehicle’s hood and head-butting her windshield, deputies said.

Investigating deputies said Battalion Chief Michael Inglett was headed to the fire station on Glenwood Road near Spring Garden Avenue at 2:54 p.m. Friday when he saw Richard Keefer, 35, running down the middle of the road.

Keefer jumped and dove head-first onto the hood of a Kia, reports show. Keefer caused three large dents to the hood of the car and cracked a large part of the center portion of the windshield, deputies said.

The driver of the Kia stopped the vehicle and started screaming, deputies said.

Inglett approached Keefer, sprawled on the hood of the vehicle, and asked him what was going on. Keefer did not answer so Inglett said he was calling police, reports state.

That’s when Keefer grabbed Inglett’s uniform shirt and slapped him, deputies said. Inglett tried to push Keefer away but he would not let go so Inglett punched him in the face. Still Keefer would not let go so Inglett used his portable radio to hit Keefer in the face. Two witnesses helped Inglett secure Keefer until deputies arrived at the scene, reports indicate.

Keefer was charged with failure to appear on a retail theft charge, battery on a firefighter and criminal mischief of more than $1,000. He was being held Monday night on $8,000 bail, records show.

Deputies asked Keefer why he jumped on the vehicle and if he had consumed narcotics. Keefer said he had taken methadone and bath salts, deputies said.