Flagler County, FL – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) believes that they have the suspects who smashed the windows of restaurants in a Palm Coast shopping plaza in custody.
At around 5:20 AM on Saturday morning, someone called 911 when a man smashed the windows of a Subway and a Five Star Pizza in the Winn-Dixie Plaza on Palm Coast Parkway. 3 suspects entered the stores making the FCSO believe that the incident was a smash-and-grab.
(Storefront damage photos courtesy of the FCSO)
A witness told the FCSO what kind of car the suspects were driving and the FCSO eventually found the car driving down I-95. A felony stop was used by the FCSO, but the suspects fled after they momentarily stopped. The suspects were driving a rented silver Lexus and they lead deputies on a chase down I-95 until they tried to exit off the highway onto SR-100. Deputies used Stop Sticks and the suspect’s car crashed into a retention pond on the south side of I-95 and SR-100. They surrendered to deputies and were arrested around 5:40 AM. The driver of the Lexus was Johnnie Thomas, Jr., 24, who was arrested on charges of fleeing and attempting to elude. Thomas has been previously charged with 19 offenses. The other suspect arrested was Rico B. Ransom, 20, who was already a wanted Flagler County fugitive on probation until 2020. Ransom has previously been charged with 12 offenses. This time, Ransom was arrested on warrants for criminal mischief with property damage, grand theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and domestic battery. He is being held without bond.
(Ransom mug courtesy of the FCSO)
(Thomas mug courtesy of the FCSO)
“These career criminals need to be dealt with harshly and sent away for a very long time for the safety of our community,” says Flagler County Sheriff, Rick Staly. When Sheriff Staly arrived on scene at the shopping plaza to look at security footage and speak to store owners, it was learned that the suspects may have committed other smash-and-grabs along I-95 Saturday morning.
(Photo of Staly speaking to witnesses courtesy of the FCSO)
“Within 20 minutes of receiving the 9-1-1 call, the suspects were in custody and no one was injured,” says Sheriff Staly. “Our deputies did a great job and I’m glad that we have these dirtbags in our Green Roof Inn where they belong.” The FCSO is currently investigating the incidents alongside Duval and St. Johns Counties who said they experienced similar crimes. Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
