- October 31, 2024
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Story courtesy of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, by Public Affairs Manager Brittany Kershaw.
Flagler County Sheriff's Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver Mercury at the intersection of Palm Harbor Parkway and Farmsworth Drive for traveling too closely behind another vehicle on Monday, June 3. Deputies made contact with the driver, Ty-Lee Austin, 19, and passenger, Rahim Booker.
While waiting for Austin to provide these documents, a deputy and his K-9 partner arrived on scene to conduct an exterior sweep of his vehicle. After the sweep, deputies advised Austin of the alert and requested his passenger, Booker, exit the vehicle so a probable cause search could be conducted. Booker exited the vehicle and began reaching inside his pockets. When deputies instructed him no to do so, Booker quickly entered the vehicle and grabbed a small black backpack. Booker then intentionally struck a deputy and fled the traffic stop on foot.
Deputies pursued Booker and continuously instructed him to stop running. Deputies lost visual on Booker near Farmsowrth Drive. A perimeter was established and a search for Booker was conducted with K-9 and helicopter support for two hours before being suspended.
This is not Booker’s first run-in with law enforcement. He was previously arrested in August 2018 for possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of a hallucinogen with intent to sell.
“This is a poison peddler who has obviously learned nothing from his previous arrest,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “For whatever reason he thought it was a better idea to fight our deputies and run. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured last night."
Afterward, a probable cause search of the vehicle revealed a metal spoon with an unknown yellow/green substance and a glass mason jar containing 8 grams of cannabis. When questioned, Austin told deputies that the substance on the metal spoon was ice cream. When tested, yellow/green substance tested positive for Mephedrone.
Austin was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana 20 grams or less, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of Cathinones. A warrant was issued for Booker's arrest, but around 9:40 p.m., he turned himself in to the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office in St. Augustine, accompanied by a bail bondsman. He was processed at the jail and released after posting the $11,000.
