Nearly naked Florida man arrested after multiple hit-and-run crashes, deputies say

Stephen Peterson, 22, faces multiple charges

Flagler County man arrested after multiple hit-and-run crashes. (Flagler County Sheriff's Office)

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man wearing only socks and a “small covering wrapped around his waist” was arrested Wednesday after multiple hit-and-run crashes, according to sheriff’s officials.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said an SUV was speeding on Old Kings Road when it struck multiple cars and continued down the road. A Florida Fish and Wildlife officer tried to pull over the driver, identified as 22-year-old Stephen Peterson, of Port Orange, but he did not stop the car.

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The SUV then drove onto Old Kings Elementary School’s property and drove around the running track before getting back onto Old Kings Road, deputies said.

Sheriff’s officials said Peterson then drove into the Flagler County landfill and into a wooded area between the landfill and Interstate 95.

Once deputies arrived, they set up a perimeter and tracked the SUV via air.

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Deputies went up to the car and told Peterson and his passenger to get out of the vehicle multiple times before having to remove them from the SUV, according to the sheriff’s office. Peterson was only wearing socks and the small covering around his waist.

“Just when you think you’ve seen and heard everything - a naked driver causes multiple hit and run crashes, flees from law enforcement, resists arrest and then has to be dragged out naked from his car to be arrested,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in a release. “Not only did this man endanger lives on the road and his passenger but he also could have placed innocent children at risk had they been playing on the running track. I’ll leave it up to your imagination on what was going on inside the car!”

Peterson faces multiple charges, including fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a crash with damage to vehicle or property, resisting an officer without violence and trespassing on school grounds. His passenger faces charges of trespassing on school grounds, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Watch video of the arrest below.


About the Author

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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