Al’kwazi J. Spencer, an 18-year-old resident of Brownstone Lane in Palm Coast and a star player for the Matanzas High School football team, along with two teens, were arrested early this morning and charged with robbing a pizza delivery woman in Palm Coast’s F Section just after midnight. The boys had allegedly taken the pizza and chicken wings to a house near where the alleged robbery took place and ate the goods with other friends, minus the crust.
Crystal Torres, 25, works for 5 Star Pizza in Palm Coast. This morning–just after midnight–the business got an order for two pizzas, cinnamon bread and chicken wings from a house on Farnum Lane.
Right around 23 Farnum, where the food was to be delivered, four individuals, either all of them males or possibly including one female, approached Torres’s vehicle on foot. One of the men had his hand in his back pocket the whole time. Torres feared he might be hiding a weapon, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s report on the incident.
The group crowded Torres’s driver’s side door. Two of the men or boys wore hoodies with the word “senior” on the front. Torres said she told them that “if they were there to rob her she would give them the pizza because it wasn’t worth her life,” the report states. She then got out of the vehicle and gave them the pizza. The four took it from her hands and ran off. The food was valued at $42.80.
Within minutes of Torres reporting the alleged robbery, sheriff’s units responded to the scene, among them a K-9 unit–Kaos–that sniffed around the last point where Torres had been able to see her alleged assailants. That was 14 Farnum Lane, a two-story house.
Two deputies rang the doorbell and made contact with a 42-year-old man who answered the door. The deputies asked if there were any kids in the house.
“Yes, there are five or six,” the man answered, all between the ages of 16 and 17. The man allowed the deputies to come inside to talk, and told his daughter to go get the boys. She called for them. There was no answer. One of the deputies went upstairs “and,” according to the deputy’s report, “discovered five black males, one lying on the floor, two lying in one bed, and the other two lying in a second bed. I could also smell an odor of fresh-cooked pizza in the room, and on the floor was a small bowl with the ends of eaten pizza crust in it. I then went to the far bed where I identified a black hoodie sweatshirt on the floor with the word ‘senior’ on it. I then asked the two males in the bed to sit up.”
One of the individuals was identified as Al’kwazi Spencer, the only adult in the room, at least by age.
“I then went over to the closet and the smell of pizza was stronger,” the deputy’s report continues. “I lifted a blanket and discovered a white styrofoam take-out box and a Five Star pizza box.” The address on the box was for 23 Farnum Lane.
All five individuals in the room were detained, but Spencer, who was “respectful and cooperative during the interview and appeared to be remorseful for taking part in the robbery,” the report states, told deputies that only he and two of the boys were involved.
Spencer was arrested and taken to the county jail. All three males were charged with robbery. One of the younger boys was also charged with probation violation. The younger boys were taken to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Daytona Beach, after all the parents of the individuals involved were informed. Spencer posted $2,000 bond and was released.
Watch Spencer in a television interview during his junior year. He is a member of the 2014 Class.
Outsider says
“P” section, “R” section, “F” section; it really doesn’t make much difference anymore, does it? The whole place is going down the crapper.
Girl says
Really going down – shame on us – what has changed recently – people in power too busy making money and grabbing more and not caring about John Q citizen – we are too blame we put them in.
Next election a change all away around local & county.
The Truth says
Are people really this blind to reality? The crime rate in Palm Coast is much better than a majority of cities across our nation. These boys were wrong, and they got what they deserved. An innocent prank turned into jail time for them. Regardless, let’s not blow this up into something that it’s not. While crime is an issue everywhere, Palm Coast is still a very safe community to live.
Wolley Segap says
True that crime is everywhere but anyone who has lived here a while has seen the change. This community, bit by bit, is becoming less peaceful.
Genie says
@ The Truth: Are you going to sit there and try and tell me that these kids didn’t know they were committing a felony, that this was a prank? Not buying it, sorry.
This is not getting better, it’s getting worse.
Genie says
At The Truth: Sure, safe….until this happens to you or someone you know.
Teddy says
No big deal, just a casual robbery. Nobody got hurt. Right?
These young people have been allowed a mindset that will forever doom their lives, and thus forever cost society $$ to imprison them .
And the beat goes on. And the beat goes on.
fl girl says
I’m sure they are all laughing about it, cause they know they well get away with it, their parents needs to go to jail, cause the kids well not learn from this.
ryan says
I am so sick of kids getting a pass because people cannot stop blaming parents. These kids are the ones at fault, so let’s not let them get away with it by putting the parents in jail, because that is what a lot of juvenile delinquents do knowing they will get off easy.
confidential says
Then these GOP Conservatives say that the middle or lower class workers do not want to work that is why they are food stamp queens and unemployment benefots abusers…Here we have a lady hard worker risking her life to deliver pizzas!! Is that enough for you conservative lying zealots?
ryan says
nothing to do with politics. these kids are punks, and it is wrong of you to make us left wingers look even worse. Let’s be honest.
Anonymous says
What does this have to do with conservatives, these are teens that believe they can so what ever they want. Maybe if our liberal laws were not so easy on these teens it would end. The oldest boy will have a slap on his wrist because he is a footbal star and not learn any lesson here.
Genie says
@ Confidential: This has absolutely nothing to do with anybody’s politics, or anybody on benefits. This is about knowing the difference between right and wrong and these kids know that and so do their parents.
Lying zealots? Listen to yourself.
justwondering says
A group of punks rob a hard working woman and you make it about politics? Why not blame George Bush?
w.ryan says
Were these kid just walking home? This arrest is confusing. Did she give them the delivery because she assumed or perceived a threat? Why was the statement by the victim during the alleged robbery stated in that manner? Was Black youths walking in a group so menacing? Was there a weapon identified? Why did she get out of her vehicle? How far did they run to get away? 14 Farnum Lane isn’t a getaway route! Seems to me she should have circled the block if she perceived danger and everything would have been fine. But at the same time engaging in receiving the items may have acknowledged her fear and placed their lives in a bad place. This was a gift wrapped arrest!
ryan says
Come on man. Let’s not make this another hint of racism. Nothing to do with that.
concernedparent says
[Note to commenters: Please do not yell through all-capital letters. We can read you fine in lower case, and it’ll ensure that your comment is approved. Thanks.–FL]
What are these so called kids doing out at that time of the morning, is a much better question? How does a parent not know the kids just came in with pizza and wings after midnight? Why didn’t the parents at the house question the kids as to how they got the food. Doesnt palm coast have a curfew for teensager? Oh just another law that kids dont have to abide by! Why did these kids crowd her car if they were just walking home, or why did they decide to go thru the woods to get away from 23 farnum.
Why the driver (the victim in this all) reacted the way she did is irrelevent! Everyone reacts differently out of fear. This driver did the right thing. It saved her from any physical harm and/or a worse fate.
Seems to me that flagler live should edit the articles better, so the article would read correctly!
Nothing about this is gift wrapped. Especially since it seems this article is trying to show this spencer as a responsible and respectful person. All these kids need better supervision and severe consequences, not just a smack on the hand!
w.ryan says
This is just one side of an equation. I haven’t read the police report. I respect and anticipate as many stories as there are persons involved. This is my take obviously on the side of the alleged perps. First, they are kids with exception of one! Second, everyone has a presumed innocence unless of course you look threatening?? Black, hoodie… male…Hmmm! Also, where did you read that they ran through the woods? She saw them proceed to 14 Farnum Ln. Seems the police dog didn’t sniff them out. My questions were logical questions in light of the fact that she stopped her vehicle to confront them. She didn’t state they made a demand for the food nor did they threaten her. Isn’t a demand causing fear needed? This does not show robbery. This report states (from police report) she feared for her life because they wore hoodies and crowded her drivers side car door and she assumed that one of the boys had his hand in his back pocket therefore she perceived he had a weapon. Two is a couple three is a crowd. How far is crowding? The report also states she got out of her vehicle and made a statement showing her conclusion was what propelled her to give the food voluntarily. Why would you get out of your vehicle? What robbery? As for them being out after midnight, they were in a domicile at the time of arrest. My question to you is where did you grow up? Must be Russia. Curfew?? Why should they be under house arrest? Teenagers…some people stay out late on the weekend. The Police report stated this kid was remorseful but for what? Fear factor was apparent on Alkwazi’s part. Fear of arrest! Accepting a pizza order from someone who have a perception of fear because she believes you intend to rob her isn’t a crime? Corroborating evidence would persuade me differently especially about the person that place the order residing at 23 Farnum Ln.
[email protected] says
you are right about that outsider, this city is in the toilet and needs to be flushed. over 20 years ago while i was going back and forth to NY from Disney me and my wife with my two daughters would stop here and said what a nice place to live, god if i can only go back
The Truth says
Is someone forcing you to live here? Palm Coast has its issue, but it’s not nearly as bad as you make it out to be.
cynthia chambers says
I t was absolute paradise. Its amazing that it took less that 15 years to get to where this town is now. Also we don’t know half af what crime thats really are happening here. Thanks to Flagler Live we’re a little more informed. Coming from S.Fla. to here this crime is nothing, but still totaling unexeptable.
The Geode says
2 pizzas, cinnamon bread and wings 42.50. THAT was the first robbery committed that night. While we are condemning these stupid kids, WHAT kind of father lets several boys to hang upstairs with his daughter and NOT only that – DON’T know when she is out with said boys. PARENTS are the first line of defense against way-ward youth!
Genie says
If school age kids today think this is even remotely cool, or funny, the country is screwed. These guys don’t realize they’re going to prison, do they?
ryan says
Let’s be honest. No fake racism claims, no blaming parents, let’s just be honest, no matter who it hurts. These punk kids, based on their actions and poor content of character, are the ones at fault. The kids were a bunch of thug punks, one even on a probation violation, which says a lot, and they intimidated that poor girl trying to make an honest living. Remember, these guys are not victims, they are volunteers of consequences for their own actions. We don’t want to teach kids that they can use color of skin to get out of charges by claiming racism, it is not right and we all must be accountable.
w.ryan says
@ ryan: I’m not arguing racism. I’m simply responding to what spells out a robbery. What caused her fear is what I responded to. Reactions based on stereotype is typical even by people of the same race. Because I state them doesn’t make it a claim of racism. Isn’t presumed innocent the premise of our constitution and legal system? Why is it that these kids are slammed first? You’ve got to look into the accountability issue as well. If this police report was written and a crime isn’t stated then it’s a bad arrest. There are questions about the incident. But this would not be the first time a black kid got arrested without a crime being committed! The victim had their perception and may have had fear but what propelled her fear. Was it based of the alleged perps actions or her perception based on her own fears. This is Florida so everything is skewed. Maybe it was a set up but a crime must be spelled out. Having pizza boxes ( with pizza crust remains), a bag from the pizza parlor and a story that doesn’t spell out a robbery in the story would be kicked back by any DA I know!
Freddy says
Did someone on 23 Farnum Lane really order a pizza or was it just a ploy to Rob this poor girl?
Ken Dodge says
Let’s not overlook the REAL victims here: the hungry residents of 23 Farnum Lane who never got their order.
FlaglerLive says
Folks, a lot of your comments are not getting approved–and wasting a great amount of moderators’ time, delaying worthier comments–for being either bigoted or grossly misinformed. Please refrain. You have the right to your bigotry. We have the right to keep it from being disseminated.
cathy shenton says
I cannot believe that people would comment about how the driver reacted. When you take a delivery, you go to the house, you park your car and you take the food to the door. If she was about to get out of the car….her door was probably unlocked, so they could have gained access immediately, so yeah pretty sure I would give up the food and call the cops too… cause you know who went home to her family that night….. the driver!!!!! Not the young ADULTS!!! It’s sad when a hard working lady is afraid to work…..just sad!!! And yes obviously parenting or lack of has something to do with it but lets face it these are not kids these are the next to go out into world from Flagler county……. disappointing. :(
Seminole Pride says
Arrested for Chicken Wangs and Pizza, you got to be kidding me. What the hell are teaching at MHS ?
Mrs Butterworth says
My my…what a bunch of HOGWASH !!!! These sweet young men were only surrounding this rude pizza girls car to help her carry the pizza’s to the home owner. And when the pizza girl FORCED the sweet young men to take the pizza and wings or she was going to cry ROBBERY !!!!!
crystal Torres The victim says
The address the suspects were arrested at wasn’t 14 Farnum it was 14 farvor Lane. These children clearly not productive members of society, regardless of a position on the football team. They still have to much time on their hands if they had time to plan to rob me for pizza. Where are their parents? Palm Coast has a curfew. And I don’t consider 3 minors being accompanied by a 18 year old supervised. AT ALL! I’m a mother with a 2 year old daughter. I’m a full time college student working very hard to succeed in life while working my full time job. I strive to be a people person and have many friends and Acquaints from every race and walk of life. By no means have been nor will I ever be a racist. I was approached in a very intimidating manner by 4 males. Who’s true intent on my wellbeing was not that I would walk much less drive away. They gave can FALSE address as part of the plot to rob me. They in no way, shape, or form were remorseful as they crowded my vehicle or even when they saw a car seat in my back seat. No instead found it amusing the fear in my voice and discomfort on my face. They laughed in my face when I said pizza was not worth my life, I have a daughter to go home to tonight. In fact when I said here I’ll give you the pizza just don’t hurt me they were very pleased with their selves and continued to laugh. There’s nothing to assume here these punks knew exactly what they were going to do down to the t. One of them even said “oh good Then we won’t have any problems” ….. Yeah clearly I was delusional. .. That’s a joke right. I could have ran those kids over when they crowded my car [stand your ground law] and this article would read a lot different. I’m a mother and no matter how poor judgment these CHILDREN CHOOSE to take , I tried my darnedest to make sure no one including them was not harmed. It’s not a question of which section because when I gave the officer my description of the four suspects , immediately the officer said the dress was gang related. Again where are their parents ? Not minding the children that they were supposed to be responsible for, because the parents answered the door for the cops and were standing in the driveway when I arrived in a unmarked car to do a line up at almost 2 am . I have been employed with five star for over a year now and never had a problem , even in South side bunnelle “the hood” . Now I’m crying upon arrival to every house I’ve delivered to in the last two days. Freaking l fearing the worst , anxiety through the roof. How is this fair? I absolutely love my employers and Co workers. And now I have no ambition to be at work after dark because of this incident. Noone has the right to instill this kind of fear in a person. I am a victim of poor parenting and a lack of supervision
w.ryan says
I’m sorry that you had this experience. Growing up in “The Hood’ I learned to be street smart. I kept my nose clean and stayed busy which kept me out of trouble and alive. I can’t say the same for many I knew. You showed savvy in realizing the situation and you worked your way out of a tough scrape. I’ve commented on what I had perceived based on the information and my own personal experiences. We draw from our experiences. I know that the School to Prison pipeline does exist. In no means did i accuse you as being a racist. I simple pointed out how race does play a part in our perceptions. Some on this thread deny that racism exists and that this isn’t a racist society. Such is life. The way I read I interpreted. I’ve seen cases where young men did’t fully understand that what they do affects others and themselves in traumatic ways. ( Not making excuses) It comes to light that this was a setup and the perps didn’t flee next door. Thank you for the information. You did what you had to do. These kids did lose there minds in playing these adult games. The parallels are tipping cows and other mischief against robbery and other violent actions, But racism is real and imposes a menace to people and the perpetrators are institutional and are in denial. I hope you recover from your ordeal and do well. Future blessing to you!
PCresident says
The first two posts do have a point, when there is nothing here for the kids to do on a weekend night, trouble will commence. There is no outlet for these kids who live here to do. Should that be the sole excuse for this, NO! The parents are to blame 90% with the remaining 10% on the kids. What in the sam h e double hockey sticks were these kids thinking?
For one thing, this is not a 55 and older community anymore, and the mentality must change. We need a community center for the kids to participate in weekend events, whether it is basketball, dances or weekend entertainment (alcohol & drug free environments), and other activities that are virtually free for the kids, yet they promote good citizenship to the community.
Obviously we are not NYC, Los Angels, or Chicago, but we can make sure our children of the future do not spend the first 5 years of their adult life as a debit to society and serving 5-10 yrs in prison for robbing a pizza lady. The worse reality is, if she would have been carrying a gun, there would have been at least one dead hoodie wearing teen and possibly more, and then Flagler County would take center stage to a media circus involving a bunch of arm chair gun right’s activists against a bunch of gun carrying activists pointing blame at one another, taking away from the real issue.
The real issue is WHY IN THE WORLD would high school kids think this would be a good idea in the first place? What does their parents teach them? Why would this be okay to even think this is a good idea? This is why parents should stop trying to remove responsibility from teens; the teens then think their actions come without consequences. Momma and Daddy sure are not going to prison for you!
HMMM says
so no gun was produced? they didn’t demand the pizza? she basically, gave them the pizza and food, and they took it and ran and ate it. and a star athlete’s potential life is ruined? I hope there is more to the story, such as a gun or weapon being produced. if he indeed robbed her, then he is ignorant and deserves it. but by this story, is appears that is not the case. sounds like she just gave them the food? am I wrong????
anonymous says
yes you are wrong. lol
HMMM says
im glad he is accused and not convicted b/c that will be an interesting case, which I feel he will beat.
ryan says
I agree, FlaglerLive. There are people on here making false claims of bigotry and racism and it is sad to see that. It only causes problems. It is just as bad as painting all black people to be criminals when there are a lot of wonderful and kind black people out there. Unfortunately, too many people also stick up for criminals and call it racially motivated when some criminals that might not be white are prosecuted.
JL says
Palm Coast is still a great city to live in. And if you think this robbery makes it a horribly dangerous city to live in, then you need to watch the news once in awhile. I will admit, there is more crime in PC now than, say, 5 years ago. But it’s still way down from our neighboring cities, like Daytona. I wish we could hire more police, but that’s not going to happen. What we need are stricter sentences. These kids need to go to jail for what they did. I don’t care if they’re under 18 or not. Stiffer sentences is the only way to get them off of our streets.
Ed says
We do not need a “community center” , these young adults need part-time jobs to go to after school and learn about being productive, becoming independent, buying the things they want/need not stealing them. After working for several hours after school, and working on weekends, there would likely be little time or excess energy for being bored and getting into trouble. Not that many years ago most high school students held part-time jobs after school. Not so sure we can blame the parents for Corporate America sending our jobs overseas. I’d be willing to bet if there were jobs available for each man, woman and teen who wanted/needed one, there would be far less crime. Stricter parenting is not going to fix the economy.
A Question says
After reading the victims comment I’m trying to figure why hasn’t five star pizza at least given her a week or the rest of the week off with pay??? “She’s still crying every time she goes to a door.” I said it before these kids or young people think everything is like the internet or texting, instant. If they want something it’s right now. If they don’t want something whether it’s you, or I, sneakers, or chicken wings its instant delete, throwaway or murder.
Anonymous says
We have 5 grandson in the area. The are bi-racial and in know way is this comment racially motivated. It’s a lesson for our grandsons who are good students and great football players with bright futures…IF they don’t make poor choices like these young men did. You’re only as good as last act, good or bad. We will definitely will be discussing this incident. We hope that these young men are able to learn from this experience and be truly remorseful and give a heartfelt apology to the young women they terrified. We are a forgiving society and have given presidents as well as star athletes second chances. Let’s hope this young star athlete will be able to witness to other young people about the consequences of split second choices that will be with them for a lifetime. We’d love to see him and the others reach there dreams in life. Put fear in competitor’s heart and not young mothers trying to put themselves through school. Come on parents and grandparents, be proactive and don’t turn a blind eye to our youth!! Let’s lead by example.