FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A 22-year-old Bunnell man was arrested after he fled deputies at high speed and abandoned his vehicle to avoid arrest, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said.
On Wednesday, a deputy was conducting traffic enforcement on Old Dixie Highway when he stopped a grey Volkswagen traveling 59 mph in a 35 mph zone. The driver, later identified as Byrone Lord, accelerated into oncoming traffic and fled onto U.S. 1, a news release states.
Lord drove over a curb at the traffic circle and ran a red light at Seminole Woods Boulevard, causing the deputy to lose sight of the vehicle. Other deputies joined the search and spotted the Volkswagen speeding and weaving through traffic near Commerce Parkway.
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The chase continued onto Drain Street, where deputies later found the vehicle abandoned near South Anderson Street and Dr. M. L. King Jr. Avenue. A witness reported seeing two people flee on foot toward nearby woods. Deputies quickly located Lord and a 17-year-old juvenile walking along the roadway and detained them without incident, the news release states.
Deputies said Lord admitted to fleeing because he knew he would be arrested for driving without a license and having marijuana in the car. He said the juvenile passenger was yelling at him to stop and slow down.
During a search, deputies found a small nugget of marijuana, three small plastic bags, and $335 in Lord’s jacket pocket. They also recovered over 21 grams of marijuana from the vehicle and found a purse Lord discarded in the woods containing another 12 grams of marijuana.
“This guy’s driving and decision to recklessly flee impressed neither his passenger or our deputies and endangered many drivers,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “No matter how recklessly you drive your Volkswagen to get away, you’re not going to out-run our deputies. He was worried that he would go to jail for driving without a license and having weed in his car, which he is, but now he’s also going to jail on multiple felonies.”
Lord was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement with lights and sirens active, possession of marijuana over 20 grams, tampering with evidence, knowingly driving while license suspended, and resisting an officer without violence.