Suspect connected to three Orange County carjackings faces new charges

Ernest Nobles, 18, on bond when he was arrested Tuesday

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A carjacking suspect connected to three cases in Orange County faces an additional carjacking charge and robbery charge.

With the new charges filed overnight, he will be held without bail.

Ernest Nobles, 18, was arrested after authorities said he carjacked a woman Tuesday on Point Cypress Drive near South Apopka Vineland Road and Sand Lake Road.

According to the arrest report, the woman said she was driving when she was struck from behind by a dark gray Nissan. Investigators said Nobles was driving the Nissan.

The woman said she pulled over, and Nobles ran up to her. She got out of the vehicle and started to call 911 but Nobles grabbed her phone away, grabbed her by the neck and forced her to the ground, the report stated. He then drove off in her vehicle.

Detectives located the stolen SUV near John Young Parkway and Silver Star Road and arrested Nobles.

Nobles faced a judge Thursday morning. The state asked for a $20,000 bond, but the public defender asked for a $5,000 bond because Nobles is still in high school and has no income. The judge granted a $10,000 bond.

Nobles was already out on bond for a grand theft arrest in Volusia County two weeks ago.

Authorities said they caught him driving the carjacked vehicle, which he had carjacked on Nov. 14 on Conroy-Windermere Road. In that case, deputies said Nobles also rear-ended the victim and forced her out of the car before driving off in the stolen vehicle.

News 6 also learned Nobles is a suspect in a third carjacking. Information on that case was not immediately available from the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The officer who filed Nobles' latest arrest report wrote that he was a suspect in three carjackings and was already out on bond when he was arrested. In the report, the deputy asked for special bond considerations, but none of that was mentioned in court during Nobels' initial appearance.

"If they're not discussing this other crime that allegedly happened before, then they don't have all of the evidence in front of them," News 6 legal expert Steve Kramer said. "When we see a situation where you've got someone with consistent MO committing similar crimes in a short time period, that's a problem and we need to go ahead and make sure we take steps to protect the community."

The Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office told News 6 it is considering filing a motion for pretrial detention, which means Nobles could not be released. This comes after News 6 questioned the office, asking how he was granted bond. 

There is no word on when the SAO will make a decision on the pretrial detention motion.

News 6 also asked how much information the assistant state attorney had on Nobles' criminal history before his initial appearance and is waiting to hear back. 

Kramer added that Volusia County could decide to revoke Nobles bond because he violated the terms of his release when he was arrested this week.

"That's assuming that the Volusia County State Attorney's Office is aware of what is going on in Orange County. If not, then hopefully they're watching this newscast so that they know what's going on and they go ahead and take the initiative," Kramer said.

News 6 attempted to contact the Volusia County State Attorney's Office for comment, but has not heard back yet. 


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