Thieving Trio Leads Cops on Chase From Target Shopping Center Before Crashing into Retention Pond

A thieving trio wanted on numerous warrants from other counties or on probation allegedly got away with $1,837 worth of merchandise from two Palm Coast businesses before leading police on a chase along State Road 100 and crashing into a retention pond near the intersection with I-95 Tuesday afternoon.

Gerald Jenkins, who was wearing a mask, had stared down the Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy ordering him to stop as Jenkins backed out the Toyota he was driving at the Target shopping center. He fled at high speed.




The three individuals–Jenkins, 28, Tiara Gailyard, 29 and Amanda Wright, 36, all of Jacksonville–were arrested, charged with a variety of felony counts, including three second degree felonies for Jenkins, and taken to the Flagler County jail, where they remain either on no bond or on substantial bond.

The incident unfolded around 2:30 p.m. when deputies were called to Bath and Body Works in the Target center as the alleged shoplifting was taking place. One of the deputies who responded caught some of the three individuals darting out of the store. The deputy activated his patrol car’s emergency lights. They “immediately took flight,” the deputy reported. One of the two women dropped a bag she was carrying.

The deputy then approached the white Toyota the women were climbing into. Bryan Jackson, the deputy, approached the driver’s side door, “giving clear, loud and precise verbal commands for the driver to stop the vehicle,” Jackson reported. The Driver–later identified as Jenkins– “proceeded to back out disregarding my lawful commands,” Jackson reported. “As the vehicle continued backing up, Gerald looked directly at me while I was giving him” commands to stop. Had the deputy not taken evasive action, he reported, Jenkins would have struck him. The Toyota backed up recklessly, almost striking the deputy’s vehicle, and fled onto State Road 100.




Notably, the fleeing Toyota’s tag was covered up with a mask, reflecting the alleged thieves’ experience across counties, and perhaps their familiarity with license plate readers law enforcement uses to track down suspects.

The Toyota was seen on State Road 100 driving recklessly, weaving between cars. It tried to avoid stop sticks deployed by a deputy. Whether because it struck a stop stick or because it was taking evasive measures, it ended up diving into the retention pond near the intersection with the interstate by a gas station. Deputies readily secured all three occupants out of the partially submerged Toyota.

In the car, deputies found “an abundance of stolen property” from Bath and Body Works and TJ Max, including a lot of candles (some 50 candles were reported stolen), along with bags from other stores and a magnetic device used to remove anti-theft mechanisms at retail stores. From TJ Max, the trio had allegedly stolen a lot of children’s clothing.

Warrants are out for Jenkins in Hillsborough County for shoplifting, in Jacksonville for grand theft, and in Marion County for grand theft. In Flagler County, he now faces two charges of fleeing and eluding and a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, all three charges being second degree felonies, plus three third-degree felony charges. He was driving on a suspended license. He’s being held on $128,000 bond.

Wright faces two third degree felony charges: grand theft of less than $5,000, and the use of an anti-shoplifting device. She is on probation for shoplifting in Jacksonville. She’s being held on no bond on that charge, and on $37,000 bond on the Flagler County charges. Gailyard is wanted in St. Johns County on a warrant for grand theft. She’s being held on $40,000 bond, facing the same charges as Wright.