FCSO Deputies Apprehend Male Who Fled Through Farm Fields, Crashed

On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, FCSO deputies attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of County Road 304 and Old Haw Creek Road. The vehicle accelerated rapidly and exited the roadway into farm fields along County Road 304 in an attempt to evade law enforcement.

The vehicle then reentered the roadway at speeds in excess of 100MPH. Deputies followed behind the vehicle at a safe distance and maintained visual contact with the vehicle as it neared Old Haw Creek Road. The vehicle was located crashed and upside down near the intersection of County Road 304 and Old Haw Creek Road. A female passenger was located nearby with minor injuries. A witness advised that the male driver had fled on foot into the woods.

Deputies set up a perimeter and requested Sergeant Tarczewski and K-9 Odin to track for the suspect within the woods. The driver, later identified as James Roy Baggett of Hastings, FL, was located attempting to conceal himself under palmetto fronds and taken into custody without further incident.

The female passenger was released from the scene.

Baggett was located with 2.77 grams of MDMA (ecstasy) in his pocket and a hypodermic needle. At the time of arrest, Baggett was on inmate release status and on felony probation with special conditions including no driving and no illegal drugs.

Baggett was charged with Aggravated Fleeing with Injury or Damage, Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Injury, Driving with License Suspended/Revoked, Reckless Driving with Damage to Person or Property, Possession of MDMA, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and three counts of Violation of Probation – Felony.

Baggett is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with no bond. Baggett has no prior criminal history in Flagler County, but he has been arrested multiple times in Putnam County on charges including Burglary, Larceny, Fraud, Dealing in Stolen Property, and several narcotics-related charges.

“Another dirtbag learned the hard way that if you run from our deputies, you will just go to the Green Roof Inn tired,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “In his escape attempt, he also damaged farm crops and drove recklessly, risking the life of his passenger and other drivers on the roadway. Great job by our deputies apprehending him safely.”