By-Line: Joseph Bober, FCSO
Traffic Stops Lead to Multiple Arrests over Three-Day Weekend
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies made 15 arrests over the long holiday weekend between 6 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2025, and 6 a.m. on Monday, January 20, 2025. Deputies handled 1,019 calls for service and made 196 traffic stops.
Traffic Stop for Broken Taillight Leads to Arrest of Career Offender
On Friday evening, Sergeant Daniel Weaver of FCSO’s Problem Area Crime Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop along U.S. 1 on a vehicle that had a broken taillight. When Sergeant Weaver made contact with the vehicle’s occupants, he observed the front passenger of the vehicle was not wearing a seatbelt and asked him for identifying information.
The passenger identified himself as Joseph Phillip, 56, of Bunnell. When deputies conducted a check against the Florida Crime Information Center database, they determined that Phillip was designated as a career offender but had failed to register.
According to the Florida Career Offender Registration Act, a career offender is any person who is designated as a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career criminal, a three-time violent felony offender, or a prison releasee reoffender. They are required to register with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by providing information to FDLE or the sheriff’s office in the county in which they reside. Failing to register is a felony.
Phillip was arrested for Failure to Register as a Career Offender. During a search of his person, deputies located a chalky rock-like substance that later tested positive for synthetic cathinones, as well as drug paraphernalia. Philip was additionally arrested for Possession of Synthetic Cathinones and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on a $21,000 bond.
Joseph Phillip (Flagler County Jail Mugshot)
“What started as a traffic stop for a broken taillight turned into a career offender getting taken off the street and taken to the Green Roof Inn,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I commend Sergeant Weaver and our deputies for doing their due diligence and looking beyond the traffic violation.”
Woman Arrested for Narcotics Possession after Traffic Stop for Reckless Driving
At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Monday, deputies were alerted by the Real Time Crime Center of a vehicle on State Road 11 whose registered owner, Keenan Thomas, had a suspended license and a history of fleeing from law enforcement.
Deputy Zachary Guinup observed the vehicle on SR 11 traveling 80 mph, which was 20 mph over the speed limit. Due to the registered owner’s propensity to flee from law enforcement, Sergeant Frank Gamarra deployed stop sticks in the roadway ahead of the suspect vehicle. Deputy Guinup then attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle.
The suspect vehicle struck the stop sticks and quickly came to a stop on the side of the road. Deputies then conducted a high-risk traffic stop with assistance from the Bunnell Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol.
Deputies secured the driver, Darielle Thomas, 34, of Palm Coast, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, which belonged to her husband. While she was being secured, deputies detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and located a small amount of marijuana residue within the car.
When a female deputy arrived to search Thomas, she discovered a hard object in Thomas’s genital area. Thomas repeatedly insisted that she did not have anything on her person. However, when informed that she could later be charged with introduction of contraband into a correctional institution, she eventually admitted that she had hidden a baggie containing marijuana inside her vagina.
As a result, Thomas was arrested for Tampering with Physical Evidence and Possession of Marijuana (20 Grams or Less). She was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where she was released on a $3,000 bond.
Darielle Thomas (Flagler County Jail Mugshot)
