- April 22, 2024
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Three people were arrested the night of Saturday, Sept. 9 for curfew violations and other charges after residents saw them trying to get into cars and mailboxes on the barrier island in Flagler Beach.
A 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew went into effect on the barrier island on Saturday, Sept. 9, in preparation for Hurricane Irma. A countywide curfew will go into effect at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10.
Flagler Beach Police officers arrested 18-year-old Bunnell resident Cody Driggers; 25-year-old Brian Swartz, who is listed on the county jail website as a transient; and 36-year-old Bunnell resident Jennifer Smith at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday in the 2200 block off South Central Avenue in Flagler Beach, according to a Flagler Beach Police Department news release.
The police department had gotten a call about the trio looking inside mailboxes and pulling on car door handles.
"The investigation revealed that the subjects were pulling on vehicle door handles and opening mailboxes throughout the neighborhood, looking to commit criminal acts," the news release states. The three had also been involved in credit card fraud, according to the news release.
“The united message about the curfew from Sheriff Staly, Chief Foster (Bunnell Police) and myself was crystal clear," Flagler Beach Police Chief Matt Doughney said in the news release. "These three opportunists either didn’t listen to that message or they chose to ignore it. They tested us (law enforcement) and they lost.”
Driggers was charged with violation of curfew, burglary (during a declared emergency), loitering and prowling and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Swartz was charged with violation of curfew, loitering and prowling and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.
Smith was charged with violation of curfew, loitering and prowling and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.
“Emergencies like Hurricane Irma bring out the best in people as well as the worst," Doughney said in the news release. "The worst tried to prey on people they thought evacuated our city for Hurricane Irma, and they were arrested by Flagler Beach’s Finest."
