By the time the confrontation over an alleged road rage incident on Belle Terre Parkway was over Sunday evening, three Palm Coast and Bunnell residents in their 20s—Samantha Smith, 25, of Pine Hill Lane, Zachary Parsley, 22, of Ulaturn Trail and Tyler Parsley,23, of Old Moody Blvd.—were at the Flagler County jail on a variety of battery or assault charges.
But based on how sheriff’s deputies reported the three white alleged assailants’ attack on four black men, the confrontation was as much about racial hatred as road rage.
The four individuals at the receiving end of the alleged attack were a 17-year-old boy, 18-year-old Tyrik Christie, 18-year-old William Wallenberg and 19-year-old Dandley Jean-Louis. All are Palm Coast residents.
According to the account the four related to police, they were all in Jean-Louis’s vehicle on Cypress Point Parkway in Palm Coast, a little before 9 p.m. Sunday, when “a white truck swerved in front of them and cut them off.” Jean-Louis honked his horn. Both vehicles then turned onto Belle Terre Parkway.
As the two vehicles drove south, the white truck pulled up alongside Jean-Louis’s vehicle and the occupants of the white truck allegedly began flicking off Jean-Louis and his friends. Then Smith leaned out of the white truck and allegedly threw a beer can at Jean-Louis’ car. The can hit the car. Jean-Louis pulled over. So did the white truck.
Occupants of the white truck first got out, according to the arrest reports, and started yelling epithets such as “Fuck you nigger.” The four individuals in Jean-Louis’ vehicle then got out, and the two groups started fighting.
Zachary and Tyler Parsley “immediately attacked” the four individuals, the police report states, with each man swinging in attempts to hit the individuals. When the two groups began to separate, Zachary Parsley, the report states, “pulled a blue Kobalt collapsible box cutter out and began swinging it at the four subjects,” while allegedly making threats such as “I’ll kill you niggers.” At the same time, Tyler Parsley reached into his waistband, allegedly threatening, “I’ll shoot these niggers.” But he never brandished a firearm.
Smith was also involved, allegedly grabbing the glasses off of Jean-Louis’ face, striking him in the face and throwing the glasses across the road. Smith then “reentered the truck,” the report states, “and began backing it up towards the other vehicle, at which time [Jean-Louis] entered his vehicle and moved it before it was struck.” Then the two other men got back in the white truck and “fled the scene.”
Other deputies soon located the white truck. When they pulled it over in a parking lot on East Moody Boulevard, Smith asked a deputy whether they were being stopped because of the fight they were just in. Deputies searched Zachary Parsley and found the box cutter, which matched the description the victims on Belle Terre had provided.
The trio was arrested. Zachary Parsley faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony. Tyler Parsley was charged with aggravated assault domestic violence, a third degree felony. Smith was charged with battery, a first degree misdemeanor, and throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, a second-degree felony.
All three were given a notice to appear at a felony arraignment on Dec. 9 at 8:30 a.m. before Circuit Judge J. David Walsh and released without bond. Smith is on pre-trial supervision.
The sequence of events up to the point of confrontation was similar to a road rage incident on U.S. 1 in March 2013 between an ex-Flagler Beach cop and a current Flagler County firefighter, entailing taunts on the highway, the firefighter throwing a jug of water at the ex-cop’s car, the two vehicles pulling over—and the ex-cop, Nathaniel Juratovac, shooting the firefighter and wounding him twice. Juratovac is serving four years in prison for attempted murder. The firefighter, Jared Parkey, who recovered and has long been back at work, is on two years’ probation for throwing “a deadly missile.”
A Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman told the Palm Coast Observer, which first reported the story, that the attack was not racially motivated. “It was just one person getting angry at another person, and they happened to be of a different race,” Paula Priester said.
Priester was asked by email how the repeated use of nigger, as threats and insults, not be considered racially motivated, and whether the Sheriff’s Office usually accepts the use of hate language as mere expressions of “anger.” Priester did not respond.
Bob Weber, Manfre’s chief spokesman, did not respond to emails and phone calls referring to the same questions. On Thursday, spoken to in person, Weber gruffly refused to address the matter and, before saying “this conversation is over,” said he didn’t have to answer any questions, citing advice from Sid Nowell, the sheriff’s attorney.
confidential says
The cover up of racially motivated aggression is not a solution to this increasingly bigoted acts of violence.
Is just an unjustifiable new modus operandi to disguise a very serious criminal trend taking place lately.
Same disguised outcome from Judge Walsh regarding the cold blood murderer of Zuheily’s Rosado the young hard working Latino mother of five in the Rte 100 Mobil station, while she was at her night shift work. Walsh ruled her assassin insane to stand trial…could you all imagine the different outcome from judge Walsh if that victim and her shooter traded places?
rick says
FCSO PIO department appears to be in need of training on what constitutes a hate crime. Why were they released without having to post bond? Seems as if the white defendants are receiving preferential treatment. I am curious what the traffic cameras at Belle Terre/Cypress Point and at Belle Terre/Pine Lakes shows? The footage is public record, just an FYI.
Anonymous says
What, no Zimmerman defense for these three fine upstanding men and woman? Perhaps they were only “patrolling” the streets in an effort to safeguard them for all the innocent White—uh–ALL the citizens of Flagler.
Anonymous says
…And considering that at least one of them threw a beer can out of the car, was anyone breath or blood tested and/or charged with DWI?
THE VOICE OF REASON says
I can understand the “deadly missile” charge. These three look like Milwaukee’s Best drinkers, and that stuff IS deadly.
m&m says
Didn’t the blacks started it by blowing the horn at them.. Is this another situation that’s happening around the country of reverse racism. The blacks always think they are right and when it does’nt go their way they riot and play that race card. To me this white profiling..
Tyron Smith says
That’s right, blame the white folk. This city is so racially bigoted towards white people its frightening.
Seminole Pride says
Wait a minute these people are in there 20’s. Shouldn’t they be away to college or serving there country.
GoodFella says
This story reminded me of a earlier one when I read the Jean Louis name. Back in July 20, 2009 there was a Carlous Jean Louis killed in a rollover accident in Brevard County. The story was written by Sentinel staff writer Sara K. Clarke and in that vehicle was Dandley Jean Louis a palm coast resident and relative that was 17 at that time which now makes him “22”. Now if this is the same kid which most likely is how is he 19 years old and just graduated high school playing for the football team??? Someone should look into this and see if he has lied about his age to stay in high school and play football, date underage girls…. Would make one hell of a story if this is the same Dandley Jean Louis!!!
Groot says
There is so much road rage around here, I doubt the attack was racially motivated. But, they did toss in the racial slur after the incident started so, to me, this is a hate crime as well as assault. Interesting, I was road raged on the same day but earlier. Driving down the road, minding my own business, going the speed limit, stopping at stop signs…and that appeared to really anger the guy in the sedan. I ignored him tailgating and gesturing and then he passed me, over a double yellow line almost taking out himself and oncoming traffic. I then observed him do the same thing to the car what was in front of me. Nothing personal I suppose. Shouldn’t they be away to college or serving there country? Probably not acceptable for the military and not smart enough for college. They’re just part of the local loser fauna.
Joy says
How ridiculous is this? Now all three are charged, hopefully will have to serve jail time, all for what? a few racial slurs and acting like white trash? When will people finally realize we are all here together – when will parents stop teaching their children that skin color matters???
They were looking to start trouble, and they found it. I hope the four victims are all fine.
Jim says
once again FCSO making crimes… in this case a bias crime…DISAPPEAR!!!! another great job by our leaders keeping those crime stats down!!!!
confidential says
Do you think any of these 3 will serve our country? They are totally ignorant of the great gift they got to be born in America.
Seminole Pride says
I don’t believe y’all caught on to what I was saying. Most people of that age group are now making a life for themselves. It’s so sad how these youngster stick out like a sore thumb, and you can spot them a mile away. What happen in there lives to cause them to become societies problem ?
Anonymous says
Seminole Pride–Really? You want to put service grade weapons in the hands of people like this so they can “represent and defend” OUR country? I don’t think so! When did we begin to get the idea that the armed services should be considered a good treatment program for people with substance abuse and impulse control disorders?
Anonymous says
Besides, colleges and the armed services have been integrated now, in case you hadn’t heard. They might also have a few problems there.
Benjamin Grimm says
We need undercover police “imaging” for road rage. The undercover cars should be of the confiscated variety – where drivers won’t spot them like a sore thumb. I noticed a trooper in a Camry pulling over a motorist in Virginia. The driver was surprised per the look on his face. Road rage is a HUGE problem in Palm Coast. Palm Coast has an aggression problem. This problem needs to be addressed sooner than later. This is a quality of life issue…