Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputies made 12 arrests last weekend between 6 a.m. on Friday, September 29th, 2023, and 6 a.m. on Monday, October 2nd, 2023. Over the weekend, deputies handled 592 calls for service and made 12 traffic stops.
“Our deputies were hard at work on this wild weekend,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “If you get in a car crash, the last thing you want to do is run. Just take the insurance premium hike with dignity and face the consequences. Also, we got another case of a successful ‘See Something, Say Something’ moment. These criminals keep running straight into our Green Roof Inn.”
On Saturday afternoon, Deputies responded to the area of Palm Coast Parkway & Belle Terre Parkway to a hit-and-run crash. Before arriving, Deputies were notified by Dispatch the suspect was Cheryl Henderson, 76.
Witnesses told Deputies that Henderson had been involved in a minor vehicle crash with another driver. However, as she drove away from the scene, she struck the other driver and then fled onto Belle Terre Parkway with the driver hanging onto the hood of her vehicle.
The victim told Deputies they had been involved in an accident with Henderson, but when she refused to stop, the victim used their vehicle to block her flight. When the victim stepped out of their car, Henderson allegedly sped up, and the victim was forced to jump onto Henderson’s hood to avoid being run over. Henderson then sped away with the victim hanging onto the hood of her car. Henderson reached an estimated speed of 50 mph, according to the victim. Henderson was stopped approximately two miles later when she was forced off the road by another witness to the incident.
“This could have become a deadly incident,” remarked Sheriff Staly. “Never hit another person with a car. Thankfully, that victim survived without any serious injuries but I’m sure it had to be a scary moment for the victim holding on to the hood and the other witnesses. She should never be allowed to touch a steering wheel again.”
Henderson was arrested for Leaving the Scene of a Crash, and Aggravated Battery With a Deadly Weapon. She was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility (SPHIDF) and was released on $20,000 bond.
Late on Sunday night, Deputies responded to Tomoka Marine and Storage located on Moody Blvd, in reference to an in-progress burglary of a storage unit. Upon arrival, units from Flagler Beach Police Department and FCSO apprehended the suspects.
The victim told deputies they were checking on their storage units when they noticed several subjects loading items onto a trailer a few units away from their own. As the victim walked by, they observed that the items on the ground looked familiar to them.
The victim returned to check their units and discovered that one of the locks had been cut. The victim then opened their storage unit and noticed most of their items had been stolen. The subjects then attempted to unload the stolen items, but the victim blocked the exit to the storage facility and called 9-1-1.
Michele Welch, 47, and Talon Neal, 27, were arrested and transported to SPHIDF.
“It pays to be vigilant,” said Sheriff Staly. “We repeat it time and time again, if you ‘See Something, Say Something’ – immediately. The faster you do so, the better the chances we will catch unlucky burglars like these, red-handed. They won’t be seeing the light of day for a good while.”
Talon Neal, 27, and Michelle Welch, 47, were arrested for Burglary, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Grand Theft. Welch was also arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Both were booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Welch is being held on $35,000 bond, while Neal is held on $25,000 bond.
