Last Updated: Monday, 3:15 p.m.
A man and a woman were reported shot at and one of them was wounded several times in an apparent road-rage drive-by on I-95 in the area of Matanzas Woods Parkway in Palm Coast late Saturday night (March 12).
The victims, Latunda Miller, 52, and Jonathan Mack, 52, both of Jacksonville, had been in Ormond Beach for Bike Week before driving north in their Challenger on I-95. They reported being shot at from a car that was amid a cluster of motorcyclists. The shooting was reported shortly after 9 p.m. The couple veered off the highway to Matanzas Woods and Old Kings Road, where they were met by first responders. The first reports to authorities had been that the shooting took place on U.S. 1. (The initial reports of this shooting were also reported that way here.) “We were trying to get away from these people,” Miller told the 911 dispatcher in a panicked tone. It was only a minute or more into the 911 call that she had realized her husband was shot.
Only the man was transported by ground to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach, as a trauma alert. He sustained wounds to both arms. The woman had initially told 911 that she too had been shot in the leg (“I just got shot!” she is heard telling the 911 dispatcher in a frantic call “I can’t walk.”). She was apparently not shot, though she was treated at the scene by paramedics, a Palm Coast Fire Department official said. Flagler County Fire Rescue treated the man and transported him. Old Kings Road was shut down from Matanzas Woods to I-95.
Audio: The 911 Call
Miller told deputies that “they did not have any issues with anybody while they were in Ormond Beach,” according to an incident report. She “mentioned that Johnathan possibly ‘cut the bikers off.’ [Miller] stated she remembered seeing a group of bikers and a grey in color, Ford Expedition at the time the shooting took place.” She did not see license plates nor was able to describe the bikers.
The alleged assailant or assailants are unknown, and no one is in custody at the moment, though the roads and intersections suspect vehicles would have traveled are rich in surveillance cameras either on the roads or at adjoining businesses, as at the new gas station near the U.S. 1 roundabout at Matanzas Woods. The Sheriff’s Office also has its own license plate readers at various locations, and now has access to some 200 live video feeds from Palm Coast cameras at traffic signals or in public spaces.
The alleged victims’ vehicle was impounded by the Sheriff’s Office for processing. A sheriff’s spokesperson said the case is under investigation.
Saturday’s was the latest in a series of shootings that have injured or killed people since late December, starting with a home-invasion shooting in Palm Coast’s R-Section that left a man–apparently one of the assailants–dead, in what had been a soured drug deal. Two people were arrested and charged. In mid-January a 16-year-old student at Flagler Palm Coast High School was shot and killed in an apparent crossfire in Bunnell. On Feb. 5 a 19-year-old man was shot and killed at an outdoors party near Matanzas Woods. A 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged in that killing.
Bunnell has also been the scene of two shootings, neither causing injuries, but both showing evidence of the discharge of numerous shots on the streets–one two weeks ago near the Carver Center, another in late December, when a man was arrested in that case. He faces two second-degree felony charges.
MikeM says
Drugs are destroying the quality of life in Palm Coast. Maybe it is time to get more Draconian when they are caught.
David Schaefer says
Hope the gentleman is going to be ok. This crap has to stop. There’s no crime in palm coast the cops say what a joke…..
Michael Hair says
Wasn’t palm coast just named best city to retire in?? I’m thinking not so much.
TR says
I hope that catch the shooters and charge them with two counts of attempted murder. I wonder if the two that were shoot were on foot or in another vehicle because the distance from where the shooting apparently took place and where they met the first responders is approx. 2 miles. If they were on foot that is a long way to walk with gun shoot wounds.
Alonzo says
And crime continues.
S. Peters says
The story says “The alleged victims’ vehicle was impounded by the Sheriff’s Office for processing. A sheriff’s spokesperson said the case is under investigation.”
Dennis C Rathsam says
Once again it proves the folks at the red roof inn need help….Where OH where is the Palm Coast Police Dept??????? Councilmen dont need a raise….WE NEED POLICE!!!!! Our realtor mayor doesnt see a problem, he has homes, & apts. to sell and get rich. Crime is growing by leaps & bounds…High School Gangs, known by police & the schools are one of the problems another is the quality of the new folks entering our city.
C.J.M says
It literally says it in the article…
Concerned Citizen says
Bikers come into our town. And think they are above the law.
And with zero enforcement from FCSO and surrounding agencies who can blame them. They pretty much get a free pass to do whatever they want because their money is important.
I’ve lived in this county for 20 years. And each Bike event is the same. I see them run stop signs and lights. Alone or together in big packs. I’m told that when they are in a pack it’s safer to keep going. Safer for who? There have been several times where myself and others are Northbound on A1A and have to literally stop because they disregard the sign at Highbridge and turn left. And nothing is done about it. And I won’t get into the fact of bikers having to put their rear tire on your bumper while stopped in traffic.
This year the idling of bikes while parking at all hours seemed more obnoxious. As did the booming of music. I’m pretty sure that if a regular motorist sat with a loud muffler and stereo blasting we would be asked to stop. Or be cited. But on one occasion I watched FCSO cruise past 3 of them and just kept going.
I’m pretty sure our economy isn’t going to dry up if agencies stop acting scared. And start evenly enforcing laws. And to those bikers out there. You expect motorists to be respectful of you. But respect goes both ways.
Common Sense says
Your comment literally referenced nothing from the article.
Lol hope you feel better now getting that off your chest.
TR says
I’ll bet that if you checked with the Flagler and Voluscia county police departments, they would have handed out more tickets this past ten day to bikes then to any other person driving any other vehicle. The problems you mention are not just happening during bike week, they happen all the time with people in cars as well. The statement that the economy won’t dry up is weak. It probably won’t but your taxes will go up dramatically and then you’ll be complaining about that.
Debi says
Why does it always have to be the bikers are all wrong? I see police offers with bikers pulled over on every corner.We have more crime before and after the bikers have come and gone.
Common Sense says
Where in this article does it say anything about bikers ?
Deborah Coffey says
Second sentence: “The victims, a couple, were on I-95 heading north when they reported being shot at from a car that was amid a cluster of motorcyclists. “
Bill Boots says
Its a good place to come to die, but not by gun shots!
Bill Boots says
In the second(2nd) paragraph,
“The victims, a couple, were on I-95 heading north when they reported being shot at from a car that was amid a cluster of motorcyclists.”
Common Sense says
So immediately assume the bikers are associated.
Concerned Citizen says
Did you miss the part where the article clearly stated they were surrounded by a group of motorcyclists?
Concerned Citizen32137@outlook.com says
I drive a lot for my job during the day. And I can attest that I have seen zero bikes pulled over in our area. The excuse given is that agencies would rather educate with Social Media rather than cite.
Common Sense says
Nope, I missed the part where it said the sheriffs office suspects the bikers are associated and or involved.
MikeM says
It’s not the bikers. We all know but can’t say who is the problem for the majority of these shootings.
Whathehck? says
There is a simple floriduh solution to the problem…..more guns!
oldtimer says
You moved here 20 years ago, bike week has been a part of this area for over 80, did you expect it to stop because you moved here?
J Jones says
We were returning from Saint Augustine along I-95 and turned onto Mantanzas parkway to come home when we saw all the police cars blocking the Eastbound side. We must have passed dozens of bikers along the way. Sometimes bikers will take over nearly all the lanes, but road rage should be punished.