Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detectives today (Sept. 17) arrested 17-year-old Zaire Roberts of 46 Pine Hill Lane in Palm Coast on an attempted first-degree murder charge in connection with the July 28 shooting of Phillip J. Haire, 18, on Lewisdale Lane. Roberts had apparently been on the run in Ohio since the shooting.
Roberts is being held without bail at the Division of Youth Services, a juvenile jail, in Daytona Beach. Haire was recently released from a rehabilitation center and has recovered from his injuries, a sheriff’s news release states.
A nationwide warrant for Roberts’ arrest was signed Aug. 17 but he’d eluded authorities until Wednesday, the release states. The sheriff’s office “would like to thank the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in locating Roberts who fled to Cleveland, Ohio, shortly after the shooting,” said Corporal Nate Koep, a detective at the sheriff’s office. When the Marshals Service closed in on him in Ohio, Roberts then fled to Atlanta, where marshals again closed in on him, Koep said. Because of the pressure, Roberts turned himself in late Wednesday to detectives, the release states.
It’ll be up to the state attorney’s office to determine precisely which charge–if any–Roberts will face.
The previous stories are below.
L-Section Shooting Victim Identified as Phillip J. Haire, 18, a Neighborhood Resident
July 29–The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office today identified the victim of Tuesday afternoon’s L-Section shooting as Phillip J. Haire Jr., 18, a recent graduate of Matanzas High School and resident of London Drive, a short walk from where the shooting took place on Lewisdale Lane. Haire had made a name for himself playing football as an imposing defensive tackle for Matanzas, and for Mainland High School in Daytona Beach before that.
The incident report released today places the time of the shooting at 3:40 p.m. A deputy arrived on scene almost immediately after the shots were fired to find Haire on his back in the road, with two bullet wounds on the left side of his abdomen. Several people were near him, but their names, addresses, ages and races have been redacted from the report.
“All on scene [said] that they were just ‘down the street’ and did not see who shot Phillip,” the report states. “They all advised that they just heard the shots and came this way to find Phillip laying in the street.”
The deputy, assuring Haire that an ambulance was on the way, then asked him what happened. Haire would not tell him, only asking, as a man who’s been shot twice might, “where’s the ambulance?” The deputy observed two shell casings on the north side of the street on Lewisdale, opposite of where Haire was laying, adding to deputies’ suspicion that the shooting was no accident, and that a shooter is at large. “Upon closer inspection I observed that the casings were that of a .40 caliber firearm,” the deputy reports.
Haire’s football profiles online list him as 6’1” and 250 pounds. You can watch highlights of some of his plays here.
Hair remains in serious condition at Shands hospital in Jacksonville. The previous story is below.
18-Year-Old Shot on Lewisdale Lane in Palm Coast Amid Murky Circumstances
July 28–An 18-year-old man was shot in the stomach at 3:50 p.m. near the intersection of Lewisdale Lane and Lewis Drive in Palm Coast. Flagler County Fire Flight, the emergency helicopter, flew the victim to Shands hospital in Jacksonville, taking off around 4:20 p.m.
It is unclear if the shooting was accidental or willful, though a gathering and a fight was reported in the area shortly before the shooting, and the man believed to have pulled the trigger left the scene.
“There were other people on scene prior to our arrival,” Sheriff’s Commander Steve Brandt, who was in command of the scene, said. “Some fled the scene, which makes us believe it was suspicious.”
Brandt said a “disturbance” had been reported by a caller to 911 just before the shooting. “The caller said it was an accidental shooting, but it doesn’t appear to be so,” he said.
The victim is either 17 or 18. He sustained two shots in the abdomen–itself a strong suggestion that the shooting was not accidental.
“The indication is that they knew each other,” Cmdr. Steve Cole, who heads the sheriff’s office’s investigative division, said at the scene. “It looks like this was a planned meeting.”
Authorities don’t believe the wounds to the victim to be life-threatening at this time, a Flagler County Sheriff’s spokesman said. “It’s still unfolding, we’ve got a lot of things unfolding up there,” he said. Later in the afternoon, a sheriff’s office release revised the victim’s assessment to critical.
The victim, reportedly black, was shot in the road, where there had reportedly been a gathering of half a dozen people, before a black Dodge Ram left the scene.
At the scene at 5 p.m., several sheriff units, including plain clothes detectives, were canvassing the scene, especially at the intersection at Lewis Drive and Lewisdale Lane. The actual shooting took place about 100 yards west of the intersection, on Lewisdale Lane. The area is very sparsely inhabited, with three or four homes, at large distances from each other, on Lewisdale. The area of the shooting, which is roped off by crime tape, has no neighboring homes in the immediate vicinity. The closest home is about 60 yards away.
No suspects are in custody and no be-on-the-lookout advisories have been issued. A vehicle that had been reported stolen was spotted almost at the same time as the shooting, and recovered in the B-Section. Brandt said it’s not clear whether the shooting and the vehicle are related. ” deputies received reports that two vehicles were involved in the incident,” the release later noted, “including a vehicle that had been reported stolen Monday from Palm Coast. This vehicle has been located in the 40 block of Bunker Hill Drive in Palm Coast.”
Hospital personnel at Shands were asked to secure all the victim’s electronic devices.
By 5:30 p.m., some of the sheriff’s units left the scene, others, including the Crime Scene Investigation unit, had arrived and were processing the area. A5 5:35 p.m., Fire Flight flew over the scene, heading south, back to the Flagler County Airport, on its return journey from the hospital in Jacksonville.
Deputies were required at another scene not long after the shooting in the L Section when an incident at Publix on Belle Terre Parkway ended with deputies making an arrest on Belle Terre, but the incident was unrelated, a sheriff’s spokesperson said.
Anyone with information about the shooting or any crime in Flagler County is urged to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Services Division at 386-586-4801, or tipsters can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-8477 (TIPS). Callers may be eligible for a reward. This is an ongoing investigation and as information becomes available, it will be provided.
Gia says
Another drug deal.
Bob says
Palm Coast going down hill fast!
Usually 12 people don't show up to a drug deal says
Usually 12 people don’t show up to a drug deal
Lena Marshall says
thank you
Mr Poe says
Somebody tell Manfre there may be gang problems here in Palm Coast !!
Cheryl says
When a house is being rented out for 2000 per month and no one has a job and more than 5 vehicles are there all day it’s not a good situation. People who own homes in the neighborhood can’t even walk around the block.
groot says
We know the house. Drive by it on a daily basis and have noticed the behavior.
cheryl says
This afternoon the garage door was open and only 2 cars in the driveway… So I’m just going assume they are moving out. I don’t know if the young man/boy that was shot lived there because he could have lived on London Dr. I always waved but they usually have 6-8 cars in the driveway. Is it really normal to see that many cars/people live in one house?
None of your business says
Some people have no common sense.. It’s a 3 car garage which means 6 cars can park there and 3 inside.. Its a 6-7 bed room so yes.. That many people could live there
Neighbor says
Cheryl do you live up there? If so I get your point. Are you making reference to the large house near Lewis and London. The one with the three unpatched bullets holes from the shooting one month ago? After living in that section for the past 11 years I recently and unfortunately stated I don’t feel safe walking around the neighborhood anymore. That is/was a quiet street until people recently discovered they can use it for their own personal whatever.
None of your business says
If your referring to the house with the 5 cars, you have no idea what your talking about! That man takes care of everyone in that house with 1 job. The wife was just diagnosed with a disability and they own that house. I know him personally and probably makes more then allot of you! Yes P.C. is bad but don’t throw stones at the good people
Cheryl says
I don’t think we are talking about the same house or family. This is a rental home and has been for years… Young men walking up and down Lewisdale night and day talking on cell phones. Also 5 cars are the minimum because have seen 10 to 12.
DJ says
Yes your talking about the same house and it is not a rental. And yes the kids hang out on the street , walk up and down the neighboring streets. One of the things I find to be rude and disrespectful is they walk in the middle of the road and your driving, they turn and look at you and don’t move. I feel there needs to be taught respect for others. I don’t know what goes on in that household . I can only say this, the house on the exterior has gone down and is not maintained the way it use to be. The blinds are a mess. Maybe those children should be given chores like cutting the grass and helping around the house etc, to help the man who is raising them. They are definetly old enough and this teaches children. Children need to be taught values and respect!
They should also be taught to pull up their pants. We don’t need to see theit underwear! Maybe a lesson will be learned here. Time will only tell.
Neighbor says
The house I’m referring to has recent bullet holes in the front of the house and the police have been there probably five times this year. I wish the guy that lives there with the Dodge Charger and Caprice Classic would take care of cover/patch those bullet holes as much as he polishes his cars and rims.
Anonymitysounds like says
Someone got robbed and this is the result
None of your business says
Cheryl, then I apologize.. I hate when good people get back reps! I agree with everyone on here that it’s defiantly getting bad
Outsider says
I used to live in this neighborhood just a few blocks from this shooting, and before that one block from where the stolen car was found. We built a beautiful home in Matanzas, and shortly thereafter the boom began and cheap homes were built all around our house, and many became rentals with shady tenants. We weren’t sure if moving was the right thing to do, but now we know it was. I drove through the old neighborhood recently and there were some gang banger types just hanging out by the street and they gave me the “What the hell are you doing here?” look. Thank God we got out of that place.
Neighbor says
What does paying less for a house in Palm Coast supposed to mean? Because you have a little money that makes you an acceptable neighbor? Maybe you overpaid. Back in 95 you could have bought a brand new three bedroom, two bath house lot included for under fifty grand and you pick the lot. Houses in all areas of Flagler County dropped to a fraction of what one paid for them. Unfortunately with some rents the turn over rate is fast and the people don’t settle in or respect the neighborhood like they plan to live there long. In this shooting case it’s possible the victim lives nearby with his family in an owned house. It starts with the adults who live or are related to these young people to stop trying to be their peers and going to nightclubs and bars worshipping themselves on Facebook and Instagram.
MaideninFlagler says
Actually Outsider is right. This neighborhood was BETTER before the housing market plunged and the rentals became the new norm.
You’ll find in neighborhoods where people own their homes there is less crime, in particular the gated communities.
PC Snake Lady says
I am not one for gossip and I know nothing about the neighborhood, all I know is that this is sad. It just seems like when I moved here 5 years ago with my 3 kids, it seemed so safe and I fell in love with it. Now, not so much. I love PC, I really do! However, I am really not wanting to raise my children here anymore. The people of PC are GREAT! It just seems the youth here are very lost. I have my oldest who is 18 and probably knows this kid shot, who just graduated and is on his way to the Air Force, I homeschool my youngest and my middle child lives out of county for sports opportunities and we will be moving down where he is this year because there is just nothing here for them. Makes me sad! I hope this young man pulls through.
Joe says
This is what we were supposed to be buying into when I made my home purchase:
http://www.golfflorida.com/matanzas1.htm
groot says
Hey Joe, I know. When we bought our “golf course home” the MLS said, and I still have it, 156 feet of golf course frontage. It was advertised as a golf course home. I was told the course was being rehabbed and would be ready very soon. That was in 2009. Instead we get violence and rental homes.
MaideninFlagler says
that’s why I bought Joe. I’m right on the golf course errrr I mean the weed course.
to much says
This is a good neighborhood . I v lived on London for a long time and I never feel unsafe stop being afraid to venture out cuz the youth in the neighborhood will feed off that and run the streets n
cheryl says
Oh my….. You live on London? That is the street where everyone drives 50 miles an hour and probably half of the houses are rentals.
Footballen says
I heard there was only 9 cops on patrol for the whole county just prior to this incident. That cannot be safe!!!!
Ray Thorne says
No it can’t. How many of the nine were assigned to Palm Coast I wonder…the contract between the the city and the Sheriffs Office calls for 10 deputies to be assigned to Palm Coast at all times.
Lena Marshall says
vote for the new Sheriff
Joe says
Sorry to much , the terminology is that it USED TO BE a good neighborhood and you council member is doing jack to help!!!
groot says
Yep, it’s the house we suspected.
Hey Joe says
I got some oceanfront property in Arizona.
Joe says
Hey Heidi, how much are you asking for it, at least you finally said something…..
liberal says
Footballen,
Low taxes means few police and/or fire rescue services. If Palm Coast had their own Police Dept., things might be better; but higher taxes. Which apparently the seniors here dont want.
Anonymous says
Low taxes my ass. Those of us who live in saltwater canal homes are paying through the nose to subsidize the lower taxes you refer to in your post. When I built my taxes were around $2,300. Now they are almost $5,000. and we get less service and total lack of response from the city concerning streets and sales. The only thing we get is the daily visit of 5 different city pickup trucks riding around wasting gas and generally goofing off on the taxpayers dime.
FlaglerCountyGirl says
Couldn’t agree more. We also pay $5,400 in taxes – I laugh when people talk about their “expensive” $2,500 tax bill…
Anonymous says
PC does not need its own police force. as you pointed out it would cost those in PC MORE much MORE as they would be paying twice for the same service like we do now With the Fire Dept. Maybe we do need more Cops on patrol but adding a police force to PC would not be the most cost effective way. As with most liberals you see the problem as one of not TAKING enough $$$$$ from those who earn/earned it. Look at a way of adding more cops on the street not a whole new government entity.
MarieS says
exactly! I’d be willing to pay higher taxes for our own Police force.
WHy doesn’t this come up more often?
Mike says
Hey folks – This is inevitable stuff in any growing town. Look at the news every morning out of Orlando and Jacksonville. Need I say more?
Anonymous says
it was over more drugs lol
David S says
Mike you have a great point WAKE up people of palm coast as the population increases and the age limit goes down this type of crime is going to increase 10 fold you have to deal with it or move to the middle of the state where few people live.
Anonymous says
Great job to all EMS involved!
THIS IS NOT COMPTON PEOPLE says
Can we please get over it people! This is not Compton or some hood in Miami or Orlando. If any of you ever lived in a big city you would know this happens on a daily bases. We are not living in a cocoon protected by force fields. There is crime everywhere and just be happy we have the little that we do. I have lived in major cities like N.Y. and Orlando so i appreciate the low crime and the people of this city. So for all you exaggerators go live in a big city and then come back and see how lucky you have it.
Coming from NY his is great says
You guys expect to be covered in a blanket of police. Ppl get shot everyday London block is safe stop greeking out cuz bad over little things
mom who knows says
Just living here for the past 3 years, moving from a low crime area. this does happen everywhere! and FYI, over the past 2 years it has become more difficult to rent a home than buy a home. Those rentals that are via property management/realtors people need employment verification, background check, criminal check, credit check, application has to include all adults, children, etc. One doesn’t need all of this to purchase a home in Palm Coast.. renting has become extremely strict!
FlaglerCountyGirl says
Winners in the L section. Sad. I remember my husband and I almost bought a home over there before building in another part of the county instead. I count my blessings unfortunately. I feel for the good homeowners there completely – Palm Coast is becoming a total wasteland.
Rich Mikola says
Just a typical Palm Coast rental. ‘B’ section has them too. Four or five bedroom house, 5 or 6 cars, God knows how many people live there. House looks like crap, throw their McDonalds garbage out the window as they speed by. We need more police on patrol.
MaideninFlagler says
Just curious why we never hear about the Grove Street gang problem in Palm Coast?
Personally, I think they’re a bunch of cowardly lowlifes. But they’re a bit organized. the kid above is one of them.
what is Manfre doing to break up this group of hoodlums? They do not belong in Palm Coast FL
Vote in a tougher Sheriff who WILL do something.
Or better yet…let’s pay a few hundred dollars more and get our own Police Dept.
Good Tenant says
We rented for almost 30 yrs, and we just bought our house in a R section, we realized there are lots of rental properties in our street and the people who live there are really nice! Not all renters are bed tenants!