Andrew Craven Mintz, the 34-year-old Palm Coast man at the center of a three vehicle crash that narrowly missed several local officials and a child near the pier in April, turned himself in at the Flagler County jail Friday evening, six weeks after he was charged.
Mintz was booked on two charges and released on $100,000 bond.
He was driving a two-door 2012 Honda the morning of Saturday, April 1, just as the Flagler Beach All Stars were about to begin their monthly beach clean-up at the pier. The clean-up was led by Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston, Commissioner Eric Cooley and former Mayor Linda Provencher, all of whom were at the intersection of State Road 100 and State Road A1A, on the sidewalk, when the crash took place a few feet from them. (See: “Andrew Mintz, Man at Center of Head-On Crash at Flagler Beach Pier, Faces Felony Charge.”)
Mintz was spotted by two law enforcement officers on A1A shortly before, speeding down the highway recklessly, passing cars on solid-yellow lines and narrowly avoiding head-on crashes, according to his arrest report. He was first spotted by a sheriff’s deputy in the Hammock. That deputy tried to follow Mintz but quickly lost sight of him, advising of the situation on the radio.
Mintz was again spotted by a Flagler Beach police officer on patrol in the city, who turned on the patrol car’s emergency lights at North 18th Street, where the officer reported seeing the Honda going 90 in a 45. The officer followed Mintz for 30 seconds with lights on, before deactivating the pursuit in accordance with agency policy. Shortly afterward, Mintz, passing a stopped car at the SR100 intersection, crashed head-on with a vehicle that was in the opposite lane of travel. He was seriously injured and taken to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach.
The Florida Highway Patrol filed a reckless driving citation, then dropped it: on April 14, the State Attorney’s Office filed both the second degree felony charge of fleeing and eluding police and a charge of reckless driving with damage to person or property, a first degree misdemeanor. If Mintz is found guilty, he faces up to 15 years in prison on the felony charge, up to a year in jail on the misdemeanor charge.
Even with a guilty finding, he is unlikely to be sentenced anywhere near 15 years in prison, especially since there is neither an allegation of drunk driving nor was there a serious injury, other than his own. The property damage was to three vehicles and a Department of Transportation sign that had recently been installed.
Assistant State Attorney Tara Libby is prosecuting the case. The witnesses she is listing so far include all five individuals who had been in the two other vehicles involved in the crash and three law enforcement officers, but none of the city officials who had been on the sidewalk. Mintz is represented by Daytona Beach attorney Aaron Delgado, who has filed motions to dismiss and toi suppress statements Mintz may have made to police. The motions are typical in such cases and are usually denied by the court.
Mintz listed his address as 90 Florida Park Drive in Palm Coast. The location is at the center of an ongoing civil action Mintz faces, initiated by his partner of more than seven years just days before the crash. Mintz’s partner had on March 24 revoked his consent for Mintz to live there. Mintz, who listed in address in Marietta, Ga., in his answers to the filing, is contesting the claim.
Neither the civil case nor the criminal case have court hearings scheduled yet.
JimBob says
No charge for omnibus dipshittery?
Doug says
34-years-old Andrew Mintz. Isn’t it time to grow up?
ASF says
It took him that long to sober up?
Wow says
The courts would be swamped! Haha but yes this guy needs a spell in jail.
Denali says
“State Attorney’s Office filed both the second degree felony charge of fleeing and eluding police and a charge of reckless driving with damage to person or property, a first degree misdemeanor.”
Let’s get serious, the felony fleeing and eluding charges will be dropped or tossed out as ‘over-charging’. One cop had his lights on for 30 seconds after seeing Mintz go past doing 90 mph. That is 132 feet per second. In the 8 – 10 seconds it took for the officer to react, respond and pull out on the road, Mintz was a quarter mile away and then was getting more distant by the second. It would be argued that he had no opportunity to observe the officer behind him. Therefore he could not be fleeing or eluding something of which he had no knowledge.
As for the misdemeanor of reckless driving with damages? With no serious injuries, some bent up sheet metal, a destroyed highway sign and lots of stained underwear he will get a slap on the wrist, maybe a fine and ordered to drivers school. Insurance will handle the personal and property damages and perhaps there will be a small judgement to cover any gaps in coverage.
We see as bad if not worse accidents on the streets everyday – sure this was more drama filled but still not a big deal in the grand scheme. Not saying this character is not a stone idiot, just that if not for the location, it would have been just another blip on the radar.
pete says
needs jail time but where is he, out on the streets where he can do it again.
The Geode says
I’m more impressed that he had 10K to throw around for something so frivolous…
Dave says
Lets just see how strong our court system is on this case.
Lance Carroll says
In my opinion, courts should start by taking his driver’s license away for life. After that, equate each penny in property damage, caused by him, to a hundred hours of community service per penny…… that’s after a lengthy incarceration and restitution for personal damaged and suffering.
Roy Longo says
30 seconds or 3 hours, what does that matter? However, I agree with you. This will all be pled down by a high priced attorney that mommy and daddy will pay for.
Denali says
A whole lot of calls for vengeance here. I am not defending Mintz or minimizing his stupidity, just trying to shine some light on the actual violations. Do any of you recall Thelma Wagenhoffer? She was the gal who drove her car into the front of the Publix at Belle Terre Crossing back in 2012. She put 10 people in the hospital and did $50,000 in damages to the store. Her crime? Careless Driving. Her sentence? A three month suspension of her license. She was also driving on a suspended license because she had not filed some paperwork with the state, no driving issues.
Ask yourself, if it were not for the location of this incident would you harbor the same thirst for revenge? Yes, a whole lot of folks got dirty underwear but no one was hurt enough to go to the hospital. Compare these two incidents and leave out the “what-ifs?”, they didn’t happen so they don’t count. Stick to the facts.
The dude says
That address in Marietta GA is in an area of old money.
If his family has been there for some time, they probably have plenty of it.
I’m just curious to know if he ever offered up an excuse for his driving that day? I personally saw him drive by Bings landing that morning at a very high rate of speed and almost hit cars head on up closer to Publix. He had his flashers on, so he evidently felt like he had reason to…
Brian says
guy is nuts
Kip says
I fail to see the comparison. a 76-year-old woman at the time was in a parking lot with an explanation of mixing up the gas and break, resulting with her driving into the entrance (that should have had blockades in the front). Or the 34-year-old male driving at a very high rate of speed down a highly populated area pedestrian crossing with a posted speed limit of 15mph. Apples and Oranges.
Wow says
Well, a crime is still a crime irrespective of the damage caused.
Jason says
I agree. They’re making an example out of him because of the location. Don’t they think his suffering and fighting for his life at the hospital for over a month was enough punishment? Geez, you seem more upset about their damaged sign than they do about him.
Jason says
If you look at the articles or read, you will see that he was not under the influence of anything at the time of the accident.
Denali says
I think you made my point that the screams to punish this guy are misplaced.
MS Waggenhoffer was ‘confused’ and got the pedals mixed up; her foot was planted on the accelerator well after she buried the car in the store and she did not take it off until directed to do so; she was driving on a suspended license. She got a three month suspension and was out driving again. She definitely had no business driving again. (Disclaimer; I do not personally have knowledge of her driving again but legally, she could have.)
Why should a store have to install bollards? Is that a code, a law or just your opinion?
The calls for Mintz to be incarcerated, fined, lose his license forever and have his toenails pulled out are without basis. The evading/eluding charges will never stick and reckless driving is a misdemeanor in Florida. The punishment must fit the crime. The location is not relevant. If it were, the would have charged him with public endangerment or at other more serious levels.
kip says
To my understanding it is code to have a blockade in the front of stores, the original building was an Albertson and I assume was grandfathered in from new construction. Furthermore, if someone was speeding at a very high rate of speed at a posted 15mph, is clearly a disregard for any personal safety driving recklessly. Ms Waggenhoffer on the other hand wasn’t as malicious, if you think she was drifting through the parking lot and caused the accident then maybe.
Pat says
I have a theory that he was having some sort of medical emergency
Pat says
That is so true!
Henry Saunders says
He was having blood sugar issues and an auto immune issue previously undiagnosed. Y’all need to stop jumping to conclusions.
Henry Saunders says
Glad to see someone commenting who not only knows what they’re talking about but has common sense!
You are so right!!!
Amy Shummer says
I am like 99% sure you are right!!!
Pat Henderson says
I’m a a neighbor, who overheard… He did have a medical emergency. He has serious, cardiac issues.