- May 6, 2024
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The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested three teenagers Dec. 1 after they stole a car in Nassau County and then tried to flee when deputies found them in Flagler County.
“More dirtbags from another county made the mistake of stopping in Flagler County,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “These kids put multiple lives at risk, including my deputies, while trying to flee. These juveniles are on a fast-track to state prison. I hope the juvenile justice system takes swift and harsh action before they kill someone else. Our deputies showed great restraint when they were felony assaulted with the stolen car driven by a juvenile’s intent on escaping arrest. This is another sad example of a failed juvenile justice system that allows kids with multiple serious arrests, including 2nd Degree Homicide, out of detention to terrorize the community. We thank the Bunnell Police Department for their assistance in stopping the fleeing car.”
The occupants were found sleeping in the stolen car at the Winn Dixie in Palm Coast.
Upon approaching the vehicle after tactically setting-up stop sticks, deputies saw the driver sleeping and unresponsive to verbal commands.
The front driver’s door was unlocked, and deputies opened it, asking the occupants to exit the vehicle.
When the driver woke up, he looked at deputies, shut the driver’s side door, turned the vehicle on, and put the vehicle in reverse.
Verbal commands continued for the occupants to stop the vehicle, but the driver disregarded them and deliberately crashed into an FCSO marked patrol car and fled.
No deputies were hurt.
The driver drove over deputies' stop sticks.
He then fled from the parking lot, traveling west onto S.R. 100 and then fleeing south on I-95.
Deputies followed the vehicle as it was weaving in and out of traffic and accelerating up to 110 mph.
The pursuit continued for approximately 15 miles and the vehicle had exited I-95 and was fleeing north on U.S. 1, where the Bunnell Police Department assisted in successfully deploying stop sticks on North State Street in Bunnell.
The vehicle slowed down and continued northbound on US-1 as tires deteriorated. A felony traffic stop was conducted at Martin Luther King Boulevard in Bunnell.
Once the occupants were asked to exit the vehicle, deputies noticed movement and found a third occupant sleeping in the rear seat.
Upon verbal commands, he also exited and complied.
During questioning, the driver said he did not know who the vehicle belonged to and claimed he “got it from a neighbor” in Jacksonville.
One of the occupants said they were heading to Daytona Beach for a party.
During a search of the vehicle, deputies recovered 60 grams of a leafy substance believed to be marijuana in the center console that was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing.
It was also discovered that the driver did not have a driver’s license.
All three occupants have criminal histories.
The driver has previously been arrested for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Battery on a Public or Private Education Employee, Possession of a Firearm by an Adjudicated Delinquent, Resisting a Law Enforcement Officer without Violence, Petit Theft, and Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer.
One of the occupants has previously been arrested for Possession of a Firearm by a Minor, Grand Theft Auto, Resisting a Law Enforcement Officer without Violence, and Hit and Run.
The third occupant, also a juvenile, has previously been arrested for Second Degree Homicide.
Additional felony charges relating to this incident have been filed with the State Attorney’s Office for crimes committed in Flagler County.
The driver and one occupant were arrested transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
The occupant was arrested for Trespassing and Possession of Marijuana Over 20 grams. The driver was arrested for Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Assault on Law Enforcement Officer, Flee and Elude, Possession of Marijuana Over 20g, No Driver’s License, and Hit and Run – Leave Scene of Crash Resulting in Property Damage.
They were placed into the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The third juvenile was arrested on misdemeanor charges and was released by DJJ.
