A chase initiated by Florida Highway Patrol troopers–the second in less than 24 hours in Flagler County–ended after a manhunt in the woods off Slow Drift Turn in Palm Coast’s Seminole Woods early this afternoon, with the arrest of a man who’d crashed the Dodge Charger he was driving.
On Wednesday evening, an FHP-initiated chase following a traffic stop ended at the Hammock Dunes resort with the shooting of one of the two women who had earlier fled from troopers in a white car. Troopers have been conducting drug-interdiction operations in the county. The woman was flown to a hospital.
Today’s incident developed shortly after noon as troopers began chasing the dark-colored Charger from U.S. 1 into Seminole Woods neighborhoods. The driver evaded the chase by taking one of the two turns of the Slow Drift Turn loop. Either because he was unfamiliar with the neighborhood or because a FedEx truck was in the way, or both, the driver lost control of the car at a sharp 90-degree turn, swerved into a ditch, shattered a mailbox and popped a rim on a front tire. He then left the car running, its hood smoking, its front bumper missing, and fled on foot, the driver’s side door left gaping.
A witness who walked near the car soon afterward described an overpowering waft of marijuana smell coming out of the car, and hearing two gunshots before the troopers arrived. Neighbors also heard gunshots before troopers’ arrival.
Slow Drift Turn’s west side parallels woods and farmland. The man, described as Black with a slight afro, darker blue shirt, had fled toward the farmland by the time residents heard the gunshots, then was seen reappearing near the line of homes along Slw Drift before disappearing again. Before long about a dozen law enforcement cruisers were at the scene, most of them FHP’s, some of them the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s, and an FHP K-9 unit was among the searchers.
A witness on County Road 330, near Seminole Woods and U.S. 1, was told by a state trooper to stay indoors and lock his doors. At 12:50 p.m., a sheriff’s spokesperson said the sheriff’s office was “assisting FHP locate a subject who fled” in the area of County Road 330, U.S. 1 and Seminole Woods.
The man was apprehended and placed in one of the patrol cars before 1 p.m.
Mike says
Although it’s unfortunate that these two incidents happened so close to each other (Hammock & Seminole Woods) and ended up in our community, it’s important to put things into perspective as they both originated from the drug interdiction operation occurring on I-95 with the State Police. From what I understand, Palm Coast has consistently been rated as safer than most Florida cities of its size. Statistically speaking, crime is at a 20-year low per capita in Palm Coast. Even with our growing population, the number of crimes has drastically reduced since 2016. ‘In 2016, there were 1,867 victims of crime in the county, but in 2022, there were only 877,’ Sheriff Rick Staly said. While the statistical likelihood of becoming a victim is lower than before, it’s important to acknowledge that crime can happen unexpectedly and affect anyone in our community. It’s crucial to remember that behind these statistics are real people who have been impacted by crime. While the statistical likelihood of becoming a victim is lower than before, it’s important to acknowledge that crime can happen unexpectedly and affect anyone in our community.
I’m grateful for our Law Enforcement Officers working hard to keep us safe and I find it irritating when people insinuate that crime is rampant and on the rise when actual statistics say the opposite
Fulll Quote: ‘“Crime in Flagler County is at the lowest it has been in 25 years: In 2016, there were 1,867 victims of crime in the county, but in 2022, there were only 877”.
TLDR: Palm Coast’s crime rates are statistically at a 20-year low, making it safer than many Florida cities of its size. While the data is reassuring, it’s important to remember that anyone can be affected by crime, but I find it irritating when people blow things out of proportion as they seem to be coming from a place of emotion instead of trusting out real world crime statistics.
Here is my sources
https://www.observerlocalnews.com/news/2023/apr/10/crime-down-54-since-2016-lowest-in-25-years/
https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/12/the-villages-palm-coast-tampa-tops-list-safest-places-to-live-in-florida/70404957007/#
Erod says
This county has 3 police forces and an overlapping state police presence, why is this county turning into a drug ridden ghetto ?
JimboXYZ says
How much of it is the drug related trafficking that comes across the border ?That has to find it’s way thru the chain of a distribution channel & network. It’s not all just the illegals that cross the border, the drug cartels set up their distributors like Dollar Generals or CVS/Walgreens in Palm Coast & every other town FL & nationwide. Dealerships are every persuasion of DE&I, drug cartels care little what race anyone that desires to become a small startup Pharma for controlled substances. That’s what Trump or anyone else alludes to when they say that the borders need to be tighter & more secure. But the Biden, Left & their media likes to spin that as hatred & racism. This was more than accurately predicted, but we got Biden-Harris inflation & wars instead for the spineless lack of leadership. Unfortunately, like the terrorists, the drug dealers co-mingling among the rest of us. At this point, they do have a code of relative decency and there hasn’t been any collateral casualties for a victimization. In that world, it appears that one is either a dealer or addict/consumer by choice, rather than forced to participate as a targeted victim of a bombing or mass shooting.
Steve says
Talk about alot of media coverage for crime in Palm Coast. It seems a busy place for National headlines. Probably not the light that one would want FPC to be depicted. Be Safe
Laurel says
Ah, that explains the more than ten FHP vehicles flying south on I-95 from the St. Augustine area around 12:15ish today. PT I almost did a txt!
One can barely take a trip these days without some sort of activity.
Billy says
Crime is out of control in this town.
JimboXYZ says
Well, the recent bookings for 10/26 & the timing of their bookings, there are 2 that possibly fit the description. One was a 12:28 PM the other a 3:25 PM booking.
https://recentlybooked.com/FL/Flagler/JAMES-HOEHN~17_2023-00002636
https://recentlybooked.com/FL/Flagler/DEQUE-MCCALL~17_2023-00002637
The latter booking, has a history of that level of charge in an unrelated arrest.
http://inmatesearch.flaglersheriff.com/NewWorld.InmateInquiry/FL0180000/Inmate/Detail/-359774
Should be interesting to learn of who the 2 women were in the incident at the beach parking lot just to see who & what else is out there & lurking amongst us ?
Atwp says
O.K. let us use common sense. Increase population usually equal to increase crimes. This will get worse as people flock to Florida. Just because people move to a different place dosent mean their personality change it dosent. We should get ready for an increase in crime in Palm Coast. Not a great comment but a true comment.