L’Darius Smith, a 20-year-old resident of Pine Haven Drive in Palm Coast, is at the Flagler County jail on accusations of molesting two girls, 8 and 9, four years ago.
Smith, a former football player for Flagler Palm Coast High School, from where he graduated, was familiar to the alleged victims and their parents. He was arrested Thursday afternoon at his workplace on Hargrove Grade on two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of victims under 12, and a count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
According to his arrest report, Smith forced the two girls to masturbate him, and in one case held a gun in his hand and threatened to harm the younger girl’s mother if she did not comply. In two other alleged incidents involving the older girl, he also threatened to harm the girl’s mother, but without a weapon.
The girls are now 12 and 13 and told of the alleged incidents in January, when they were both interviewed by a University of Florida Child Protection Team. Officials interviewed Smith in February. He denied all claims. His case was originally processed in juvenile court, but on Sept. 28 was transferred to adult court. Circuit Judge Matthew Foxman signed Smith’s arrest warrant that day.
Bond was set at $10,000 on the aggravated assault charge. There is no bond on the two molestation charges.
In a brief interview, family members of the victims said they believe the two girls were not Smith’s only victims, and were urging other potential victims to come forward and speak with authorities.
In February Smith was arrested on a battery charge at the McDonald’s in Town Center, after a restaurant manager confronted him about sitting on a table and drinking a drink that was not from McDonald’s. The manager accused Smith of ramming him against the wall as he passed by him, an allegation Smith denied, telling sheriff’s deputies that the manager had pushed him. There were no witnesses to the incidents, and the charge was soon dropped.
Brian says
Ol’ La’Darius – yet another upstanding citizen from good old Palm Coast…
Born and Raised Here says
Oh Wow, L’ Darius you were such a good Football player at FPC. with a prominent future. What happen ?
anonymous says
Born and raised took the words right out of my mouth. He was an awesome football player, and even rapped in a music video. He had a great future going for himself in whichever of those directions he went. Smh
Oh WOW says
How Sickening. I am proud of the victims that came forward in this hideous crime. It takes a lot of courage. This is the worst crime to be accused of.
My2Cents says
For the first three responses: He IS supposed to be innocent until proven guilty right?? That IS the rule of our justice system right??
At this point, as far as the article states of course, this is a 4 year old accusation that has been investigated through the juvenile court. Now, the very day it was transferred over to the adult courts, a judge quickly signed a warrant for his arrest and was subsequently arrested AT HIS JOB of course. Again, for a 4 year old investigated case in which he was not previously charged and or convicted. Hmmmmmm………
Public opinions to the side, lets get ALL THE FACTS and his due justice prior to any so-called public convictions. There’s ONE thing we could all agree on. If proven innocent, he’ll never get that job back where he was arrested and pulled out in hand cuffs. Might even have to move on outta good ole Palm Coast for his effort (TBH not a bad thing these days).
anon says
This guy was always mean to people at school. Not to the “cool” kids, but he had no hesitation in telling nerdier kids to kill themselves, suck his d*ck, slinging slurs at people like “faggot”, completely unprovoked. Nasty human being. Hate to say I’m not shocked by these allegations.
Bc. says
Throw the book at him I am sure they a many more young ladies that he has assaulted hope that they will come forward
Justin says
I known him for years. He was always an outstanding kid, and adults always loved him. In school, he was never a bully. You sound like u take things the wrong way a lot but there is always people talking trash tpo their friends in a joking manner. And BC you are not the judge although you are entitled to your opinion of what u hope happens to him. I know there are hundreds of people hoping for him that somebody made this story up.