Tyler Sweeney is a 22-year-old resident of Rainbow Lane in Palm Coast. His last year and a half approximates the trajectory of his car on Sunday night, which allegedly sped away from a cop, veered off Rae Drive not far from his home, crashed into an AT&T cable and wire box before Sweeney himself ran away from a cop: he was running away from his third arrest in 16 months.
According to a sheriff’s deputy, Sunday evening he ran through woods, jumped into a canal and swam across it to Raintree Circle.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy who investigated the crash noticed the smell of pot at the scene. He searched the silver Chevrolet Malibu and inventoried the following: A black backpack on the floor of the front passenger seat with a mason jar containing pot, four Oxycodone pills, two bags of marijuana in the trunk, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun inside the spare tire compartment. The serial number of the gun had been removed, according to Sweeney’s arrest report. The weighed marijuana came out to 249 grams, or the equivalent of 541 joints. (A recent federal study estimated the average weight of a joint at 0.46 grams.)
Sweeney was later located at his home at 14 Rainbow Lane. He told a deputy he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, so when he saw a cop’s lights behind him, he got scared, because he did not have a valid driver’s license. That problem, however, was the least of it. He was arrested on seven charges, three of them felonies, including possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession with intent to sell, and possession of oxycodone. He was also charged with leaving the scene of an accident and with driving on a knowingly suspended license.
Almost a year and a half ago he was pulled over on Palm Harbor Parkway and Coral Way and busted for carrying almost 20 grams of marijuana, less than two grams of hashish and drug paraphernalia. He was also in possession of a semi-automatic Glock 41 with a 24-round magazine he said did not belong to him, but that he kept for his safety. He did not face a gun charge. He entered into a pre-trial intervention agreement, which would, upon completion, have led to his charges being dropped. One of the charges was a third-degree felony.
Now that he has been re-arrested, that case has been re-opened, and the PTI may potentially be set aside, depending on the outcome of the new charges. He had in the meantime been arrested on a separate marijuana possession charge, to which he pleaded no contest. Adjudication was withheld.
Sweeney this afternoon was being held at the Flagler County jail on $12,000 bond.
worried grandma says
and the judge keeps letting him out….next time he’ll really hurt someone? my family? your family? I’ll bet if it’s the judges family, he’ll be there a long time.
JimB says
A 245 round magazine for a Glock??? Really? I would think that would constitute some type of gun charge. Looks to me like Wyatt Earp was more interested in getting his hands on the small amount of drugs.
HayRide says
This little kid drives around with a Glock (which he says he doesn’t own) and a magazine with 245 rounds in it for his PROTECTION, (sounds like he’s the menace, not anybody else. Why would anybody need to protect themselves unless they looked for this type of lifestyle (or ran around with this type of crowd in the first place)
you can clearly see the path in life for this little thugs unless he gets help, (where are his parents)
regardless if he’s 22 doesn’t his parent show concern that they failed this kid and he is on a straight path to a long life in jail eventually?
the court system should not let him off lightly, and think about this punk playing cops and robbers in the ole west as he flees across town and in your path as you simply tried to drive across town for a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk!
The original woody says
Lately, sounds like a normal day in Palm Coast.
Anonymous says
The system is a BIG JOKE , it’s about saving money if they have to incarcinate him . Now a second time arrested with a weapon and serial numbers erased maybe this will put him in the state system , MAYBE
Mikey Eyes says
A dope smoking dope! He has served notice on the community. And he has to be punished for his actions.
Mark says
I foresee another slap on the wrist coming. The system has made him a criminal, he’s really a good guy.
Concerned Citizen says
Another product of light sentencing. When will the courts learn?
Will there ever be a day when someone doesn’t try to throw down the “mental health” card to escape responsibility? Everytime someone gets arrested these days it’s never their fault.
Alonzo Hudson says
Someone will get hurt by this guy. They let him get away with wrong doing. Will they let him out again. White men get a lot of chances in this town. An African American guy will be in jail for a very long time after the first offence. White guys do anything they want to and get away with it . Very nice to be white in Palm Coast. Do wrong and they let the white guys go. Good job ji m crow .
Richard says
How is that proposed rehabilitation program for criminals working out for y’all? They say if you keep doing the same thing but expect different results maybe YOU are the problem. Possibly a different approach is in order, ya think!
Alphonse Abonte says
Mllennial, offspring of the “New” generation,our future leaders. Sad that the justice system has let this person out to do more harm. To be more specific, if the system was to be more punishing, there would be an up roar from certain groups or people that would defend or make excuses of his behavior. We see it here everyday in P.C. and elsewhere. He will be back out doing more harm. Time to make the punishment fit the crime for habitual offenders.Habitual offenders are people that play the sysytem to their advantage. They know the rules. They have lawyers that play the system. $12000 bond,what a joke. like what was said before, saving money.At whose expense? Ours.
palmcoaster says
There we go again he will pay 1,200 out of the 12,000 and will be out next day to endanger our community. The location were he was arrested before is Coral Way near famous Coolidge Court significant water front were this old guy gives shelter and bails out these young addicted females and males in “exchange for their services” : https://flaglerlive.com/120193/richard-knoblaugh/.
The best way to fight these druggies an dealers is working together with our sheriff establishing a neighborhood watch were there is none in order for better communication and surveillance. It worked for us in our block and we expelled the old omen friends of the one in Coolidge Ct, for good and now safety, peace and quiet shines.
Really says
Looks like the other 500 joints went up in smoke already
Cookie says
Really?? The Judge is the problem. I have been investigating this Drug Cases and see the judge is letting these criminals get out on a very low BOND. The judge has been elected for almost 2 years now and he is letting these Drug Dealers out on a Low Bond. That’s why these Drug Dealers keep committing these crimes over and over because they don’t do time. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Dept. is doing their job but it’s the Judge that is not doing his JOB….
hawkeye says
this guy really needs to have the book thrown at him , he had a little less than ten ounces of weed , oxy’s ,a pistol with an defaced serial number, in addition to the other charges. I did get a chuckle from the “245 round glock magazine”, wonder how big that would be, thats 5 boxes of ammo .Lets hope that the judge is not so lenient this time, if he stays on the street ,he is going to end up hurt or dead,the way he is going. He looks like a typical soft millenial.