- April 23, 2024
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Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies apprehended a Port Orange man who fled from Volusia County deputies early this morning, but not before the man drove his vehicle into a patrol car.
Ronald A. Pinkerton, 68, is charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer after he intentionally rammed his vehicle into a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car.
The incident started around 2:05 a.m. in Flagler County when the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office reported Pinkerton had fled from them in his 1988 Ford van around 1:45 a.m. Volusia deuties reported the man’s van was traveling between 40 and 50 mph, driving erractically and ran a red light.
Several motorist had to take action to avoid a collision with Pinkerton. The Port Orange Police Department was the first law enforcement agency to attempt to stop him. Pinkerton also failed to stop for Holly Hill and Ormond Beach Police Officers as he continued north on U.S. 1.
Volusia County deputies followed Pinkerton into Flagler County on U.S. 1 where Flagler deputies joined the effort to stop him. Flagler deputies stopped traffic at intersections with U.S. 1 and deployed stop sticks, but Pinkerton continued to drive the vehicle with two flat tires. Deputies reported the traffic at that hour was minimal, and Pinkerton maintained speeds between 40 and 60 mph.
One Flagler deputy maneuvered his patrol car in an attempt to stop the van, but Pinkerton used his van to attempt to collide with the patrol car. When he was unsuccessful in that attempt, Pinkerton then drove his van across the right lane of U.S. 1 and intentionally struck another Flagler patrol car, which had been positioned in the median. The deputy was not injured in the collision, but the patrol car had to be towed.
Pinkerton continued driving north on U.S. 1 until he drove off the road near the Department of Transportation scales north of Palm Coast Parkway. The vehicle became stuck in the soft dirt. Deputies attempted to remove Pinkerton from the vehicle, but he resisted. A Flagler deputy had to deploy his Taser before they were able to remove him from the vehicle and take him into custody.
“This man was intent on doing harm to a law enforcement officer. He is fortunate that he was not severely injured as a result of his actions,” said Flagler County Sheriff Donald W. Fleming.
Pinkerton was being held in the Flagler County Inmate Facility Thursday on $36,000 bond. He is facing additional charges from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office of fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer and reckless driving.
