For a 13-year-old girl–known only by her initials in police reports–coming home from school Monday afternoon to find the back door ajar was startling. She called out, thinking her parents may have come home early to the house on Birchwood Drive.
They had not.
Out from her brother’s bedroom came a shirtless, tattoo-covered, bearded stranger. It was startling and frightening. The man said “oh, sorry,” and left. That seemed to be it.
But he soon returned, again entering through the rear door and asking the girl to move toward him–as he himself moved toward her.
She screamed, fled to a neighbor’s house and called 911.
The man she and another witness would later identify was David Willett, 30, of 8 Burning Place in Palm Coast. The other witness saw him getting into a Ford Focus and leave the scene. The Focus had an aluminum ladder hanging from the trunk.
Not long afterward Lowe’s called police to report that a man had fled the store with a box, jumped into a Ford Focus and left: the man’s description matched that of the the man seen at the alleged burglary on Birchwood Drive. A witness followed him into the B Section and lost sight of him, but Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies were able to set up a perimeter in the area where the man had last been seen.
Willet was eventually found walking in the area of Becket Lane and Bellaire Drive, while the Ford Focus was located on Beachway Drive and Belle Terre. Deputies executed a traffic stop, and arrested Alex Hagget, 25, of 4 Post Lane.
The second witness, a 42-year-old resident of Birshire Lane, had actually crossed paths with Willett in the witness’ backyard. When the witness asked Willett what he was doing, Willett simply said “sorry” and took off running. The witness chased after him and saw him get into the Focus.
Willett, who was released from state prison after serving time for grand theft and trafficking in stolen property, was charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools and criminal mischief. Haggett was charged with attempted burglary of an occupied dwelling. Additional charges are pending.
“I am extremely thankful that the 13-year-old victim was not injured after she was confronted by David Willett,” Sheriff Jim Manfre was quoted as saying in a release issued this evening. “I am also very thankful for the witnesses who provided important information to
our deputies. Without their assistance, we may not have been so quick in arresting them.”
If anyone has any information about these crimes or any crime in Flagler County, they are urged to immediately contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911. Callers can also remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at (888) 277-8477 (TIPS). Callers are eligible to receive a reward of up to $1,000.
IMO says
I saw the Sheriff’s Department Deputies response to this incident. About 15 Police Cars and Motorcycle Officers descended on the area. They came rushing down Belle Terre Parkway with lights and sirens. Then they pelled off on individual streets setting up the perimeter.
Then the helicopter appeared in the sky. I didn’t know a helicopter could fly that low.
What a great job they did in setting up a perimeter. Somebody has trained them well.
Good Job Deputy Sheriffs.
footballen says
If only I could be the sitting Judge for this scum bag! Let’s see what the judge does to him this go round.
Agnese Spicer91 says
Hats off for the young lady