Alfredo Rodriguez, 61, and his wife Pamela Kelly, 59, are Palm Coast residents of the W-Section. They were traveling north on U.S. 1 Monday (Jan. 11) between 2 and 3 p.m. when Rodriguez, who was at the wheel, saw an SUV approach then pass him on the left side, then immediately move back to the right lane, directly in front of him.
The vehicle then slowed down, causing Rodriguez to also slow down. Rodriguez then saw the vehicle make a right onto Palm Coast Parkway, the direction Rodriguez was traveling. Once on the parkway, Rodriguez moved into the left lane. Both vehicles were stopped at the traffic light at the intersection with Pine Lakes Parkway. There, the driver of the other vehicle started giving Rodriguez the finger, according to an incident report. Rodriguez answered in kind.
When the light turned green, both drivers continued east on Palm Coast Parkway. When they came to a stop at the next intersection, at Belle Terre Parkway, Rodriguez said he and the occupant of the SUV started cursing at each other. Their windows were up, however.
Rodriguez said it was then that the driver of the SUV allegedly brandished a handgun in a holster. As the two men continued to yell at each other, the unknown driver “pulled what appeared to be handgun with a barrel and pointed it” at Rodriguez and Kelly, the incident report states. Rodriguez then attempted to pull away from the SUV. But traffic came to a stop at the intersection of Palm Coast Parkway and Pine Cone drive, where the traffic light was red. So Rodriguez couldn’t keep going.
At that point, according to Rodriguez, the passenger of the SUV got out, approached Rodriguez’s car and began “banging on the window yelling for him to get out of the vehicle.” Rodriguez said he tried to pull away to escape. But as he was doing so, the driver squirted a bottle of “what appeared to be water,” the incident report states, into the passenger side of his vehicle, hitting Rodriguez’s wife.
The incident report is heavily redacted, and the case is still open and under investigation. Asked whether detectives had leads in the case, such as a license plate number or an individual identified, a Flagler County Sheriff’s spokesperson answered: “Information about the evidence we might have to lead to an arrest in this case is considered active criminal right now, so I’m not able to release that.”
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery charges are pending against the alleged perpetrators.
THE VOICE OF REASON says
Yet another reason that you should not respond in kind when someone flips you off or any other such incident. Better to turn off the roadway and get away.
You never know which one is the crazy with a gun.
Ron R. says
I really hope they have enough identifying information to find and nail this idiot. I have a feeling that both drivers contributed to the escalation here, but it’s still no reason to start brandishing a firearm.
Fools like this make all gun owners look bad.
Bc says
It sounds to me that he was cursing and road raging with them if you are going to fight and flip off with a total stranger while driving You must except the consequence of such road behavior. Not saying that it’s right to brandish a gun and if caught they should be held accountable but I think if this guy would have let them go by without flipping them off and cursing back at them we would not be reading this on Flagler live. Just saying
social justice says
Who knws if these people’s story is true though. At this point we are just taking their word. Also we have only one side of the story.
confidential says
Bullies with guns at work and on the loose. What is knew? Catch him and throw him in jail!
Woody says
Traffic was heavy and driving away was not an option?There has to be alot of eyewitnesses to investigate this with a gun involved incident,no gun no crime.
Geezer says
I ignore road-ragers, and this angers some of them even more.
Too bad that they can’t figure out how much this benefits THEM.
(sorry, I can’t italicize)
I realize that these dumb-asses have people who love them, thus
I avoid escalating the situation for their own good – not so much mine.
It’s all very stupid, you know.
I’m older (hence “Geezer) and I can honestly attest to the fact that people
are the same everywhere. But factor in the pressures of crowds
and a rapidly changing landscape, and you get stories like this.
I moved out of Florida, and can honestly say that Palm Coast is a very
angry town. These incidents are the symptom of too many people in too
small an area. Here in NH, I occasionally see a road-idiot, but reports of
road-rage are far and few in between. I have yet to be cut off after a
year and a half here.
Ah, the beautiful mountains, the beautiful snow – four seasons.
I live in a beautiful place. Thank you God.
If I ever had to leave NH, I’d head to NC, near Asheville, or even TN.
Why Florida attracts so many people completely baffles me.
There’s so many beautiful places in the USA, and Florida, folks is
no panacea. The population is booming in FL – “booming” in many ways.
Avoid arguments on the road – too many nuts with guns.
IT’S NOT WORTH IT.
LET IT GO.
El Chapstick says
Jose should have thrown a can of re-fried beans at the bastard !!!
Ron R. says
Yeah.. that kind of talk is very helpful. SMH
confidential says
Yesterday minding my own business on I-95 South to Daytona in my SUV I encounter one of these bullies that think they own our roads, they get pissed if we drive slow and also if we drive a little faster than them..they wipe themselves with the “Move Over” signs that means if you are not passing….This one was in a med size white VMW… As I moved to the center lane that was faster given his obstruction on the left one, he/she just didn’t like it and try to block me too on the center. I patiently and keeping proper distance waited for an opportunity to move to another unobstructed lane and once found proceeded noticing that immediately the dude increased his/her speed behind me. I just kept driving in the open center lane at normal speed limit and then we passed a trooper ticketing idiots, that maybe made them reconsider or they gave up as they saw that they had two lanes open and free to pick and harass someone else.
groot says
Geezer doesn’t live here? Why bother? If and when I escape, I’m ignoring this crap.
The “victim” was playing the game, the “perp” raised the stakes.Both parties should have walked.
The only other place I have lived that had this level of aggression and poor driving was S Florida and that was 40 years ago. I thought coming here it would be different but it’s not. No turn signals, blowing thru stop signs and red lights, the elderly going their universal 40 mph personal speed limit and stopping on green and going on red, road rage, people so old they have to have their cars ferried down here and then they drive around…it’s a bad mix, a read bad mix. Drive defensively. Look out for the the guy who is front of the guy who is behind you.
Geezer says
Reply to: groot says:
I still enjoy commenting here and appreciate the leeway i’ve been shown by the editor.
I have family (well, in-laws) in PC and I keep track of how much has deteriorated
since I “escaped.”
I wish you luck with your “escape plan.” Let me just tell you that hard as it may be
to pick up roots, and start over – it’s worth it. If you buy a house anywhere else,
look for an old and well-established community. Avoid a place that’s filled with
transplants and cookie cutter communities. While you may be considered a “transplant”
– you can always assimilate and become a valued member of your new town.
Funny thing – I remember when people used to wave as I drove down different blocks
exploring back in 1997. Little did I know what was coming down the ‘pike.
Again, good luck.
Since 1987 says
I have lived here since 1987 when there was only a single traffic light. I can attest to the stupidity of our current driving population compared to the past years. But not just from the road rage aspect. People apparently don’t recall what a turn signal is for, they drive so far under the speed limit it becomes a true safety hazard or they drive 20 over. Nobody yields whatsoever to the the right of way and no consideration to safe distances when changing lanes. In fact it appears to me that a majority of drivers have no idea where they are or where they are going based on their speed and constant lane changes without signal. I drive 300 miles or more a week for work and leaving Palm Coast and returning are the worst part of my trip, not to mention that the traffic light timing is so that you are stopped at each.
YankeeExPat says
“The 5 most dangerous states in America”……..as reported in USA Today
# 5. Florida
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 540.5
> Population: 19,893,297
> Total 2014 murders: 1,149 (3rd highest)
> Poverty rate: 16.5% (16th highest)
Florida’s violent crime rate overall is fifth highest in the country, with 541 reported incidents per 100,000 people in a single year. As is the case in most states with crime issues, violence is particularly concentrated in the state’s urban areas. Of the state’s 21 cities with populations of at least 100,000, seven have violent crime rates that are at least double the U.S. rate. Homestead, Daytona Beach, and Fort Myers are the most dangerous cities in Florida. Each have violent crime rates in excess of 1,100 incidents per 100,000 people.
confidential says
PC used to be beautiful from 1991 till 1999 and when ITT left us, hell broke loose! Now we have the cheap rentals that bring their aggressive drivers that park allover the place after overflowing their driveways. A two bedroom home holds four or five cars and of course the single family small home was not built for a crowd.
Subletting is a very common nuisance totally out of the city scope and aggressive driving comes along with it. I get the general impression that some newcomers arriving to Palm Coast totally believe that they are above the law and that the city has NO ordinances.
groot says
Thanks Geezer, I know my plan, we’re going home to the Midwest to our families and friends. Our move to PC was a terrible mistake and I assume responsibility for it. This is not to say there is not road rage and aggression up there but there is a lot less of it. Palm Coast is easy to get into and hard to get out of due to low property values and it has been over built with more housing on the way (gotta expand that tax base you know). This is my third go round with Florida and my last. I thought this area would be a better choice than further south but it is not. The same negative issues in South Florida are now in this area as well.
Veteran says
Geezer, have you driven in NY, NJ, TX or CA? NH may be beautiful but way too cold for me.