The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Bunnell man on Wednesday afternoon after he fled from deputies at high speed along U.S. Highway 1 and then abandoned his vehicle in an attempt to evade arrest.
A deputy in the FCSO Motors Unit was conducting traffic enforcement on Old Dixie Highway near Bunnell when he initiated a traffic stop on a grey Volkswagen traveling 59 mph in a 35-mph zone. The driver, later identified as Byrone Lord, 22, of Bunnell, accelerated and drove into oncoming traffic before fleeing onto U.S. 1. During the pursuit, Lord drove over a curb at the traffic circle and ran a red light at Seminole Woods Boulevard, where the deputy lost sight of the vehicle.
Other deputies began searching the area and spotted the vehicle on U.S. 1 near Commerce Parkway, where it was seen speeding and weaving through traffic. A deputy followed the vehicle as it turned onto Drain Street and later located it unoccupied in the area of South Anderson Street and Dr. M L King Jr. Avenue. Deputies spoke to a nearby witness, who reported that two people had fled from the vehicle and ran north toward the wood line. Deputies quickly located Lord and a 17-year-old juvenile walking along the roadway and detained them without further incident.
Lord later told deputies that he fled because he knew he would go to jail for driving without a license and having marijuana in the car. He also stated that his juvenile passenger was screaming at him to stop and slow down during the pursuit.
During a search, deputies found a small nugget of marijuana, three small plastic bags, and $335 in Lord’s jacket pocket. They also discovered another 21.18 grams of marijuana in the vehicle. With assistance from the FCSO Real Time Crime Center, deputies later found a purse that Lord had discarded along the wood line. Inside the purse, they located an additional 12 grams of marijuana.
Sheriff Rick Staly criticized Lord’s decision to flee. “This guy’s driving and decision to recklessly flee impressed neither his passenger or our deputies and endangered many drivers,” Staly said. “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 arrested for 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. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on an $18,500 bond.
The juvenile passenger was released to a parent. Footage of Lord’s arrest is available for viewing through the Sheriff’s Office, here.
