Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputies made 22 arrests, including three for DUI and FCSO law enforcement partners added five additional DUI arrests, over the long holiday weekend between 6 a.m. on Friday, December 29, 2023, and 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January, 2, 2024. During this time they also handled 857 calls for service and made 178 traffic stops.
“As we rang in the New Year, it was a busy holiday weekend for our deputies keeping the community safe,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Unfortunately, some people got off to the new year on the wrong foot and had to spend the start of 2024 at the Green Roof Inn.”
On Friday night, a traffic stop by an FCSO deputy resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs and firearms.
Deputy Punsky conducted a traffic stop after the driver of a black Toyota Camry with an illegible license plate blocked a pedestrian from entering a crosswalk near the Circle K gas station at Kingswood Drive in Palm Coast. During the stop, Deputy Punsky noticed a strong burnt marijuana smell coming from inside the vehicle and the driver, identified as Justice Del Carpio, told the deputy that he had “maybe half an ounce.” Through a search of the vehicle, Deputy Punsky discovered a plastic bag containing 22.20 grams of marijuana, $1,468 inside Del Carpio’s left pocket, and a CZ-75-D compact 9mm firearm. A Canik 9mm was located behind the left driver seat next to the passenger, identified as Billy Cordova. A pack belonging to Cordova contained a plastic bag which held 23.4 grams of marijuana, a marijuana grinder, and a small plastic baggie containing 10 white-colored pills, which were identified as Oxycodone/Hydrochloride.
“Another group of dirtbags were busted for driving around our streets with poison and guns,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Deputy Punsky did an excellent job of looking beyond a simple traffic infraction to seize poison and guns.”
Justice Del Carpio was arrested for Possession of Marijuana—20g or more, and Weapon Use/Display During a Felony. Billy Cordova was arrested for Possession of Marijuana—20g or more, Weapon Use/Display During a Felony, Possession of Oxycodone, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Equipment. Del Carpio and Cordova were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and were released on bonds of $7,500 and $10,500, respectively.
Click here for video footage of the arrests: http://tinyurl.com/5dyknf8t
With members of the Traffic and Motors Units conducting enforcement details in high-crash locations and patrol units keeping an eye out for impaired drivers around the holiday, FCSO deputies arrested three drunk drivers this past weekend.
On Friday afternoon, an FCSO deputy conducted a traffic stop after the driver of a red SUV made an illegal left turn. During the traffic stop, the deputy observed that the driver, identified as Charles Lauman, had trouble standing, was slurring his words, had bloodshot eyes, and smelled like alcohol. After failing to perform a series of field sobriety activities, Lauman was placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.164. Lauman was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was released on a $1,000 bond.
Later that same day, shortly before midnight, FCSO Communications received a call from the owner of a property off County Road 200 in Bunnell after a male, who appeared drunk, had crashed his Kawasaki side-by-side into the owner’s fence and had become stuck in it. When deputies responded to the scene, the male was unable to provide basic information and had to hold on to a tree for support. After failing a series of field sobriety tests, the male, later identified as Scott Newton, was arrested for Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence with a BAC of 0.149. Newton was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and released on a $1,000 bond.
