- April 29, 2024
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On May 20, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Rolling Sands Drive and Ruth Drive to conduct a civil stand-by; the victim was requesting law enforcement presence while she attempted to retrieve her house key from her boyfriend, Matthew Hargwood.
While speaking with the reporting party, deputies saw a motorcycle approaching. The reporting party told deputies that it was her boyfriend, Hargwood, driving the motorcycle. Once Hargwood arrived on the scene, deputies noticed that he was operating the motorcycle without eye protection. Deputies then informed Hargwood that he was not free to leave and that he was being detained due to the traffic infraction that he had committed.
During the traffic stop, deputies asked Hargwood to identify himself numerous times, which he declined to do; he attempted to start his motorcycle numerous times. Hargwood was warned by deputies that if he fled the traffic stop it would result in a felony charge. However, Hargwood ultimately decided to flee from deputies. Deputies did not pursue him.
Later that evening, deputies located Hargwood’s motorcycle parked under an overhang at his apartment on East Moody Boulevard. The FCSO established a perimeter around the motorcycle and deployed the FCSO K9 Unit to aid in the search. Hargwood was located a short time later at the Cypress Knoll Golf and Country Club and was immediately detained by deputies. This is not Hargwood’s first encounter with law enforcement. He has previously been charged with Battery, Resisting an Officer without Violence, and Burglary.
“This is another example of how our deputies never really know what to expect when they answer a call for service,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “This should have been a very cut and dry situation, a simple exchange of a key between two individuals. But instead, it resulted in a felony charge for fleeing and eluding because Hargwood made a poor decision to escalate the situation. I am happy that we were able to locate him quickly and I hope he learns a lesson that is that if you run from FCSO you still go to jail, you just go there tired and with additional charges.”
Matthew Hargwood was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. He is charged with Fleeing and Eluding. Resisting an Officer without Violence and a citation for Failure to use Eye Protection While Operating a Motorcycle. He is held on a $3,000 bond.
