Michael Marsh Jr., is a felon many times over in the past dozen years and a former state prison inmate who was out on bond on an aggravated battery charge involving a stabbing.
He is again at the Flagler County jail, this time on a charge of aggravated assault as a result of an apparent road rage incident on I-95, and another stabbing. He is being held on $101,000 bond.
The incident took place in late afternoon Friday in the northbound lanes of I-95, between Palm Coast Parkway and Matanzas Woods Parkway.
Shawn Hardy, a 53-year-old truck driver from Trinity, N.C., called authorities around 5:30 p.m. to report that he had been stabbed soon after the dispatch center received other calls by passing motorists, reporting two men fighting by the side of the road. A few minutes later, the dispatch center got a call from a woman saying that her boyfriend had just been in a fight, though she wasn’t sure where he had been.
Hardy had a “large laceration along his left leg” and another cut on the palm of his left hand when a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene on the interstate. A Flagler County Fire Rescue unit arrived and advised Hardy to go to the hospital for stitches. He declined.
Hardy described the incident to a deputy. He said a man in a silver Dodge had been following his truck closely and recklessly. “The unknown driver became irate and struck the rear of his semi truck,” according to Marsh’s arrest report. “He then described the vehicle repeatedly striking the side of [Hardy’s] semi,” forcing the truck driver to pull over in the emergency lane. Marsh also pulled over and the two men confronted each other, verbally at first. Marsh, according to Hardy, then pulled out a box knife “and attacked him,” the report states, before Marsh got back in his Dodge and took Exit 293.
Deputies were by then responding to Marsh’s house on Buffalo meadow Lane, where his girlfriend reported him coming home distressed. At first they were not sure if the two incidents were connected. But the Dodge in the driveway, which was still running, matched the Hardy’s description of the vehicle he said had struck his truck. The license plates matched. And the woman said Marsh had been involved in an altercation on the highway.
A sheriff’s deputy located Marsh on the street near the house and placed handcuffs on him, saying he was only detained, not under arrest. But as the deputy was attempted to handcuff him, Marsh turned around and faced the deputy, disobeying commands. Marsh stepped back before deputies took him down by force and handcuffed him. They located a box knife matching the description Hardy had given.
Marsh agreed to speak with deputies, telling them that he’d pulled over because Hardy had cut him off with his truck, striking his Dodge. He said it had only been a verbal confrontation. But when Marsh was walking back to his vehicle, Hardy “suddenly attacked,” according to the account he gave deputies. “He was being punched in the face on multiple occasions, which caused him to take out the knife” and injure the truck driver. Deputies found Marsh’s account “inconsistent” with his own injuries.
Marsh said he did not call law enforcement at the time because his phone wasn’t working, but then somehow managed to get a hold of his girlfriend and asked her to call law enforcement.
Marsh has a long record, facing his first felony charge 12 years ago, when he was stopped for the third time for driving on a suspended license. The charge was downgraded and he was convicted on a first degree misdemeanor. In 2014 he became a convicted felon for manufacturing meth. He was also convicted on an assault charge.
He was convicted of grand theft and felony retail theft, two felonies, in 2014. A battery charge was dropped the following year, but in 2016 he was charged with aggravated battery, then battery against an inmate and a separate felony battery charge, which led to another felony conviction and a state prison stint. He has since been convicted of domestic battery and charged several times of shoplifting, but the shoplifting charges were dropped.
In Volusia County, Marsh is still in the pre-trial phase on a felony charge for cocaine possession, and on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The latter charge resulted from a May 8, 2022 incident between Marsh and a man he’d known for 15 years, and who’d given him shelter in Daytona Beach on one condition: that Marsh not use drugs. When the friend found out that Marsh was not keeping his end of the deal, an argument followed, as did violence.
The friend told Daytona Beach police that Marsh stabbed him in the arm, requiring hospitalization. It was a 1-inch stab wound to his upper inside left arm and a stab wound to the front left side of his chest, according to Halifax hospital medical personnel.
Marsh had his first appearance before a judge on Saturday, when the $101,000 bond was imposed. He remains at the county jail.
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Jonathan says
Lock him up for good, he already had too many breaks, enough is enough.
KB says
Wow, and why in the world is this type of violent repeat felon out living freely in our community? We keep reading about this same type of person, convicted violent offender that either kills or injures another person. This guy was out on bond for a stabbing, why in the world is he out???????? He stabbed someone again, we need to make sure violent offenders who repeated violence are not out of jail while another violent charge is pending. This is this stupidest thing I have heard. I live close and I’m digusted and angry these kind of people live close to me and no one else seems to care. Especially the court system.
Dave says
A prefect example of a failed justice system. He should have never been released on bond.
The dude says
Flagler Palm Coast is definitely a special place.
Career criminal seems to be one of the only jobs available in the area with decent long term growth prospects.
I’ve lived in quite a few other states, and countries and I’ve yet to see anything like it.
Look at who they reliably vote for and it’s easy to see why this is so.
Me says
I wish Judges in Flagler County would stop letting violent repeat offenders out of jail. As we can see from this loser he hasn’t nor will he ever be an upstanding citizen in any community but he sure is a definite repeat offender.
Steve says
FPC is a magnet for this type of Criminality. For a small place an inordinate amount of violent yahoos. Something in the water???
Deborah Coffey says
And, once again, another felon our running around for the umteenth time ready to stab again. What is wrong with this picture?
Never leave home without one says
Truck driver should have been Carrying Concealed. That would have put and end to this criminal’s rein of terror.
Connie Sparks says
Lock him up this time for good throw away the key.
Skibum says
Same ole, same ole Flori-duh! This state does an absolutely horrible job when it comes to the protection of society. And the current, as well as past republican governors keep cutting taxes which takes even more monies that could have and should have been put into the state’s criminal justice system for public safety. Auto insurance rates here are outrageous and some of the most expensive in the entire nation, with our state’s roadways not very safe because FL will not spend the money to hire a sufficient number of highway patrol troopers to ensure the safety of the driving public. The state’s court system, just like in this felon’s numerous cases, keeps failing to incarcerate him sufficiently for his violent criminal convictions so he was out on the streets causing havoc yet again. I know nobody likes to have their taxes raised but damnit, public safety demands an adequate number of troopers patrolling our highways and a court system that will actually hold felons accountable for their crimes by lengthy prison sentences when they are convicted instead of the many slaps on the wrists that are meaningless to violent offenders who keep victimizing people over and over again! Next time you hear Deathsantis and other state republicans trying to placate the voters with additional tax cut proposals, think about the CRITICAL public safety services that we all require to maintain a safe society instead of merely saying “Yeah that’s awesome, go ahead and cut taxes some more.” Our state’s criminal justice expenses keep dwindling under republican “leadership” pandering to citizens who are chopping of their noses to spite their faces. We must do better that we have been here in Florida before this state starts resembling a violent, free-for-all third world country.
Marion says
I know alot of people regretting moving to palm coast. It is free for all on crime and drugs. They still release criminals from Jacksonville prison and set them up in palm Coast with free homes, drugs and cash for a so called second chance!
Brian Chrestoff says
What would 10 additional Highway Patrol officers within a mile of the crime scene have done to prevent this stabbing? Not a damn thing that’s what. The problem young Einstein was having a violent ex-con back on the streets who obviously has anger issues that need to be addressed. Now I’m just guessing here but what do you think the political leanings of the judge who let this ex-con back on the streets again? Like yourself I’d guess this judge more than likely leans Left. This issue has nothing to do w/ lack of tax dollars and everything to do w/ Judges and public prosecutors following the political beliefs of the morons who operate in cities like Portland and Chicago. Let’s Go Brandon!
Me says
Don’t forget Florida has a Governor that doesn’t care about the safety of the people here, look how he downed played COVID and thousands of thousands in Florida died at his expense.
Now he wants to change gun laws and lower the age to get a gun, so more people in this State can start killing more people like it doesn’t have enough murders now.
Please stop voting for this kind of losers.
Pogo says
@Skibum — 👍
25 years of elected Republican Party asshats have made the bed for everyone. That’s just a plain and simple matter of fact.
Best description of Florida Republicans — ever:
David says
I totally agree with you & it’s only going to stop with this criminal when he is killed or if he kills somebody else and gets caught again. This (POS) nut should definitely not have been on the street’s way before this incident. I never had sued anyone before but if I was the truck driver I would get an attorney and have a lawsuit. 👌🤑👍
BARBARA BARFIELD says
yes he belongs put away and that was his best friend that he stabbed and almost killed – he is back on drugs and likes to hurt people when he is high and has no control of himself – that was my nieces husband he stabbed – smh – he was doing so good for 5 years but now he is a threat to ANYONE as soon as he starts partying – he needs long term treatment – what is really sad is how hurt my nieces husband was that someone who he thought was his bestie and friends through thick and thin would actually try and take his life away from him – he now has no bestie anymore – praying God brings a good person into Andy’s life that he will bond with – he is a great father and husband and good to0 my niece …