It is a succession of events as bizarre as it proved nearly fatal for a man this morning before dawn on Sesame Boulevard.
Three young Palm Coast men — Conner Patrick Anderson, 22, Ronald Lewis Stedman, 20, and the victim, Angel Martinez, 20–had been partying the night before, drinking in the F Section, at the Ice House and at another bar in Flagler Beach, according to statements made to a Florida Highway Patrol homicide investigator.
Early this morning, well before sunrise, the three men were driving south toward Integra Woods apartments on Sesame Boulevard, where one of the three men lived. Martinez allegedly got “belligerent,” the other witnesses told the FHP investigator. There was an argument or a struggle, and the two other men decided to either get Martinez out of the truck or put him in the bed of the truck–a dark gray Chevy Silverado pick-up.
“The guy was inside the truck and he started acting out so that’s why he put him out,” the FHP investigator said, referring to Stedman, the driver, putting the victim in the bed of the truck.
Here the stories diverge. Stedman did not tell the investigator what Anderson told him: that first, Stedman and Anderson put Martinez on the sidewalk, where the victim apparently went to sleep. The two other men then drove off, returned, found Martinez sleeping, and decided to put him in the bed of the truck before driving south again. (Stedman told the investigator that they immediately put the victim in the bed of the truck and drove south.)
Then they got to Integra Woods. Martinez was no longer in the truck.
He had either fallen or jumped out of the truck at the mid-point between Sesame Boulevard and Citation Parkway. Then two vehicles struck or ran over him–a white Ford Explorer, whose driver, Eric Jones, immediately attempted to stop additional traffic from striking the victim, then a Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by William Kroll Jr.
Stedman and Anderson returned to the scene and eventually stopped the Silverado, facing south in the southbound lane, six feet ahead of where Martinez had been struck.
Several units from the Flagler County Sheriff’s office were on scene. Initially, Volusia County Air One, the emergency helicopter, was called to the scene, but the call had to be canceled because of fog. Martinez was transported by ground to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach. He was in critical condition.
The matter was called in to authorities at 5:58 a.m. FHP was at the scene within minutes as was Flagler County Fire Rescue. Seminole Woods Boulevard was closed in both directions from Sesame Boulevard to Citation (a loop). As of 8:20 a.m., the road was still closed and the investigation ongoing.
Ten orange cones had been placed along a stretch of some 25 yards in the southbound lane of Seminole Woods Boulevard, each cone marking a belonging to the victim that had scattered after he had either fallen or been struck–a black garment by the side of the road, a few business cards, including one from an officer of the court in Flagler County, a set of keys, and at the southmost end of the items, a broken beer bottle. The victim’s blood had marked the pavement in four spots.
The investigation ended at 8:45 a.m. Saxon’s towing of Bunnell took the Silverado, which will be impounded as the broader investigation continues. The road was reopened at 9 a.m.
RedBull says
Ah, drunk again in Palm Toast !!!!
Linda says
We call it “Compost.”
Layla says
Some of this might be avoided if deputies were on patrol outside some of these establishments during these hours instead of being at the donut shop. Just a thought.
PC Resident says
I have lived in Seminole Woods for many years. I have seen the patrol of deputies increase in our area. They are patrolling our neighborhood more than they ever have. Thank you to the Flagler county Sheriffs for all your hard and sometimes unappreciated work by our community. And please tell me where the doughnut shop is in Seminole Woods. I could really go for a chocolate sprinkle.
The Geode says
WHY do everything has to be the fault of someone else? WHY do people expect the police to be omnipresent whenever something goes awry? WHY can’t people be responsible for their OWN dumb decisions?
Anonymous says
Lord, it seems like this town could use both an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program and Dometic Violence shelter. Quick.
David B says
Out for a few beers, Good ol’ boys,. Pick up truck. Life in the South. Just a normal Friday night,
Anonymous says
I pray for angel and his family that he will pull through this!
Linda says
Wishing the best to all. Youthful indiscretions – some of us get through them unscathed, but many, like these young men, don’t.
Joe peters says
Isn’t the legal age to drink in this state 21?
Linda says
I was wondering and thinking the same. Wouldn’t want to be the bartender/owner when the lawsuits begin, but you reap what you sow.
theevoice says
indeed it is..and for good reason!!
Janet Clark says
And 2 20 year old boys were drinking in a bar How ???
THE VOICE OF REASON says
Anybody else smell a lawsuit for putting him in the bed of the truck?
Tom says
People making poor choices. Many of us ‘older’ folks are lucky to be alive based on choices we made back in the day. And alcohol has been available to the underage since laws went into place ……… where there is a will, there is a way.
NA says
This is very sad I have one question the boys were drinking at several bars but it says that they are 20 years old. Will the bars be fined?
Dr. Anderson says
Typical Floridians.They’re not the brightest bulbs in the box.
turtle says
Anonymous, we have had a certified Domestic Violence shelter in Flagler County since 1987. Services are free to victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Their 24-7 crisis hotline number is 437-3505 and their website is http://www.FamilyLifeCenterFlagler.org
groot says
Seemed like a good idea at the time! Ice House in Bunnell, now there’s a spot.
Anonymous says
Rebel flag says it all, probably trying to figure out how to blame Obama.
Frank N. Stein says
Why would a guy with a Spanish surname ride in the bed of a pickup truck
sporting a rebel flag tag?
Would that same chap walk towards the sound of banjos playing in pitch darkness?
I wouldn’t do any of these things.
Anonymous says
Why are these comments falling back to racism and opinions about the rebel flag? There is a young man sitting Ina hospital bed clinging to life who would be greatly missed by loving family & friends if something were to go wrong & still all we can think about is racist comments?! Come on people. Yeah, there was underage drinking, yes these are country boys who honor the rebel flag but that is way beyond the point here. No man or women should be in Angels position, no matter the circumstances. We should all be sending prayers to him and his family instead of making stupid comments about his race or any other factor. Ridiculous. I love you boys, hope Angel is doing okay.
Nel says
Why are these comments falling back to racism and opinions about the rebel flag?
HMMMMM……. Now Let’s see……………………………
LOCATION: Down South
THOSE INVOLVED: Under aged and served at local bars.
APPAREL: Includes baseball cap with severely curved bill in typical Mayberry / Gomer Pyle fashion.
VEHICLE: 4 x 4 Pickup with Confederate Flag plate PROUDLY displayed and Spanish guy in truck bed.
Now C’mon…… Am I the only one who finds this way too easy?
The next phrase will be “but there just a couple of good old boys who were just turning their life around.”
Mike says
Most of the people commenting on this website sound like they’ve never made a single mistake in their life, so sad…
ogre says
I k ow I’ve made mistakes, but nobody fell out of a moving truck and was hit by a car. That’s just stupidity. Not a mistake.
Geezer says
We all make mistakes – that’s a fact of life.
There’s small mistakes and major brain malfunctions accompanied
by a lack of common sense. Or is sense uncommon now? Seems to be….
I’d never put a dog in my pickup bed, much less a drunken human.
There’s a “mistake” I’d never make. Drinking and driving is another “mistake”
I don’t make.
Was the driver of the Chevy administered a breathalyzer test?
He almost killed his so-called friend.
Even under perfect conditions, riding in back of trucks can be fatal.
There’s panic stops, you can get rear-ended, and go flying without wings.
Imagine how the odds change when there’s booze involved.
I hope that Angel Martinez gets through this.
That’s a very young whippersnapper.
Peggy says
Sending thoughts and prayers to Angels family and friends.
David S says
Look guys I did a lot of stuff in my 20s that would make your head turn it was fun back then a lot of great memories never ended up in jail. Times have changed give all of those guys a break !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
steve says
Apartment complexes, attract losers….
Layla says
Hope they all get through this.