Flagler County Sheriff’s Cmdr. Joe Barile was at the end of his wits with David Badal. He was trying to figure out why Badal, 44, didn’t know the drill by now. He was being arrested for roughly the 10th time in 10 years, and who had just–yet again–driven away from a deputy in a dangerous maneuver that got him an extra felony charge.
“We have video of you driving around this town like a psychopath, blowing red lights–we’ve known where you are, OK, you heard the helicopter,” Barile tells Badal shortly after his arrest in the B Section Tuesday afternoon, at the end of a significant manhunt. “You know this always ends up with you in jail. It just takes longer.” Badal was arrested twice just this year, both times on domestic battery charges. He was arrested in 2017 for fleeing and eluding cops, and has previous arrests on drug charges, corrupting by threats, trespassing. He is a convicted felon, going back to a conviction 21 years ago for, ironically, fleeing and eluding. His history predates even Barile’s, who’s been with the Sheriff’s Office only since 2007.
“Do you remember me? It’s like, 10 or 15 years now, OK?” Barile tells him. “Like, you know the whole deal, like why wait it out? Why drive around Palm Coast almost hitting multiple cars. Like, man, your driving? Holy crap. In the middle of four o’clock, five o’clock, there’s so many cars, out kids out. Like, come on man.”
A judge had only a few months ago ordered Badal to his latest anger management class. It’s not clear if he took it. If he did, it did not appear to have paid off.
It had started as it often starts at the beginning of a David Badal call: “possible domestic disturbance” at his Wellington Drive home Tuesday afternoon. A woman was crying and telling the 911 dispatcher she’d been in a verbal argument all night, and that Badal wouldn’t let her leave the house. Badal walked out of the house in compliance with a deputy’s request, but then, walking around his driveway and complaining about “the kids” (he has four children and is their provider) he got in his Lexus, closed the door, and drove off, even as the deputy was knocking on the driver’s side window. Badal still drove off as the deputy was to the side of the car’s right front, trying to stop him. That was at 3:30 p.m.
Two hours and 15 minutes later, after the sheriff’s office had requested the assistance of Flagler County Fire Flight, which circled the B Section for over an hour, and brought in other special units, Badal surrendered, coming out of a house on Boulder Rock Drive, which the Sheriff’s Real Time Crime Center had tracked. Only then Badal asked if the deputy who’d been speaking with him earlier had been injured. He is heard on a body cam saying that “I didn’t try to run away. I knew exactly what I was doing.” He said the deputy “wasn’t even in the way” and that he “would never run one of you guys over.”
He was charged with aggravated assault on an officer, and fleeing and eluding police, both felonies. Bond was set at $30,000, which he posted today after 1 p.m. He had been on probation on an April conviction of misdemeanor battery, when he was sentenced toi six months’ probation. He was to have no contact with the victim. He’d attempted to end his probation in mid-September, only to have a probation violation report filed against him: he’d not paid his fines. Today, the court filed yet another probation violation report due to his arrest on Tuesday.
Revolving door says
This guy has not only been busted in Flagler County, but Volusia and the Orlando area. Always manages to slide out of it in the end. My only reasonable conclusion is that he’s a snitch. I know him personally, nothing but black holes when you look in his eyes, I would love to hear him go on record as to what jobs he’s had the past 20 years living here in Flagler County???
Revolving door says
Just watched the video. Gee, wonder what he went and got rid of before being placed in custody?
herewegoagain . says
WHEN IS ENOUGH . JUST ENOUGH ??
I hope the judge assigned this case has some “balls” ..
OR is this a new version of the cops n robbers game ?
Dirty Mary says
Crime and punishment. It’s all about the money and the color of your skin in America. He’s nothing more than a product for law enforcement. Pseudo job security for the entire system. FCSO loved this. Get to go chase the bad guy. Might even get my name and pic in the paper. Bail bondsman… cha’ching. Probation office… cha’ching. Piss testers…. cha’ching. FCSO… see how our multimillion dollar tech protected the community? See how we were able to get that bird up in the sky lickity split (hopefully some poor innocent sap won’t get left bleeding on US1 from an accident in the meanwhile). Gimme more money for more tech and an extra 30,000 square feet in a shiny office building with mold sucking febreeze spewing irobots. Cha’ching cha’ching cha’ching.
Concerned Citizen says
This is what happens when our judicial system doesn’t support Law Enforcement.
Time and time again we see ridiculous bonds set on serious charges. Time and again we see silly pleas and probation set for career felons with zero remorse. Until I came to this county I never saw bonds issued for probation violation. or charges like possession of a fire arm by convicted felon.
I’ve said it before and will say it again. Low bonds are for first time offenders on non serious charges. Pleas and probation are for first time offenders who commit minor offenses and show some sort of remorse and want to change the situation they are in. Our judges need to start enforcing the career felon laws. And definitely need to support Law Enforcement more. Catch and release doesn’t work.
This dude has zero respect for life. How many more chances are we going to give him to hurt someone?
Skibum says
There’s only one thing you can say about this guy… he’s what we call in the business JOB SECURITY. There are so many just like him who ensure that there is indeed a need to have good law enforcement in our communities. They keep the steady, monthly income coming for those in uniform who stand between the criminal element in society and the would be innocent victims. To the sheriff’s deputies who were involved in the manhunt and arrest of this previously convicted felon who has chosen this way of life, I say THANK YOU!
RitaMae says
He must be making good money to afford a Lexus…not cheap cars.
Martin Poposki says
The fact that he’s been arrested 10 million times and has a Lexus , and better shoes then me …. And im working busting my ass and have nothing ..,, lol im doing something wrong .
herewegoagain . says
” My only reasonable conclusion is that he’s a snitch. ”
WELL, that would explain a lot .. ..
A.j says
Been busted many times. Running from the cops according to the video. How many more chances will yjis guy get? Not being African American in this country is good. As an African American, if I did what has done, I would be dead or paralyzed for life.
Shark says
Cops in this town are glory hounds. Just do the job we pay you for and cut out the theatrics. One Staly is enough!!!!!
beachlover says
I hope I’m not on the jury, I didn’t see the police officer place him under arrest before he left, he was free to go at any time. You don’t get to grab at someone’s car and call that a traffic stop. As much as I don’t like this guy, cops should have told him he was not free to go… that didn’t happen.