Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies made 17 arrests this past weekend between 6 p.m. on Friday, May 17 and 6 a.m. on Monday, May 20. They handled 585 calls for service and made 129 traffic stops.
“This weekend was another busy one for our deputies in Flagler County – from a poison peddler violating his probation, to a thief who wanted to steal everything from someone’s pants to a truck, and another would-be thief attempting to break into someone’s home,” said Sheriff Rick Staly.
Palm Coast Man Arrested for Possession of Cocaine, Tampering with Evidence, and Violation of Probation
At approximately 12:55 pm on Friday, May 17, Master Detective Malta and Detective Dalrymple observed a Silver Toyota Camry driving recklessly through Lehigh Woods in Palm Coast’s “R Section”. Det. Dalrymple observed the driver toss tinfoil and a small clear plastic bag out of the front driver window onto Rollins Lane. Det. Dalrymple was able to immediately recover the items as there was no other vehicle traffic nor pedestrian traffic in the area.
The vehicle continued to drive recklessly and stopped at a residence on Roxboro Drive. The driver exited and was subsequently placed under arrest. He was identified as Homer Winans, 46, of Palm Coast, who is currently on felony probation for assault.
Winans repeatedly denied throwing any narcotics from the vehicle until Det. Dalrymple
advised Winans of what he witnessed and recovered the narcotics. Winans then stopped talking and inquired about his charges. In the clear plastic bag was a white rock-like substance that tested positive for cocaine and had a weight of .69 grams.
Winans was arrested for Possession of Cocaine, Tampering with Evidence, and Violation of Probation. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility where he is currently being held without bond. Winans has a significant criminal in history in Flagler County dating back to 2010, comprised of several drug charges and one Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
“This career criminal continues to be a plague on this community,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I’m proud of our detectives for their proactiveness. They took immediate action when they saw this reckless driver try to discard evidence but instead landed him back at the Green Roof Inn.”
Stolen Vehicle Recovered, Burglar also Charged with Larceny After Stealing Pants, Wallet and Keys
At approximately 11:17 a.m. on May 19, Deputy Clay responded to a residence on Boxwood Lane in Palm Coast in reference to larceny and a stolen vehicle, a blue Ford F-150. It was believed to have been taken on Wednesday, May 15 by the caller’s roommate, Frank Wayne, 59, of Palm Coast.
Initially, the caller did not report the vehicle stolen because he thought that it would be brought back, although he said he did not give permission to Wayne to drive the vehicle this time.
A guest at the same residence also reported his pants were stolen, which contained his keys and wallet containing $120 in cash.
Deputies and officers with the Bunnell Police Department located and stopped the vehicle in Bunnell. Wayne was driving the vehicle, and the stolen pants, wallet and keys inside the pants were located in the passenger seat next to him.
The stolen items were recovered and Wayne was arrested for Grand Theft – Motor Vehicle and Petty Theft – Pick Pocketing. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility where he is currently being held on $5,000 bond.
“This guy gave a whole new meaning to pick-pocketing,” added Sheriff Staly. “Not only did he pick a pocket, he took the entire pants!”
‘See Something, Say Something’ Leads to Loitering and Prowling Arrest
At 11 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, Deputy Magnuson responded to a call from a resident about an unknown male trying to break into her residence on Eric Dr. in Palm Coast.
The caller stated that the man entered the backyard and screened in lanai area and attempted to gain entrance through the backdoor. When he was unsuccessful at gaining entry, he began to bang on the glass lanai door.
Deputies arrived on scene and observed a vehicle leaving the area of the call. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle, and a male matching the caller’s description was observed in the backseat of the vehicle. The caller identified Joseph Palmese, 33, a Palm Coast resident as the suspect.
Palmese was unaware of where he was and stated that he did not recall trying to break into someone’s house. He was arrested for Loitering and Prowling and was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
“Another concerned citizen who faithfully locked their doors, deterred a would-be thief who was trying to break in. They saw something suspicious and called us to come and make the arrest,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “We’ll never know why this suspect found himself at that residence that night, but he’s fortunate the caller picked up the phone instead of a weapon to defend themselves and their home.”
