PALM COAST, Fla. — A 23-year-old Palm Coast man was arrested Sunday after authorities say he fled a traffic stop initiated by Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly, speeding through traffic on a motorcycle with a female passenger on the back.
Jacob Lunsford, 23, was arrested November 1, 2026, after deputies identified him as the motorcyclist who fled from Sheriff Staly along Belle Terre Parkway.
The incident began at approximately 12:20 p.m. when Staly, driving an unmarked Sheriff’s Office vehicle westbound on State Road 100, spotted a bright blue motorcycle accelerating rapidly and weaving between lanes in a 50-mph zone.
Staly paced the motorcycle at 66 mph and noticed its license plate was obscured. When the motorcyclist failed to stop, the sheriff activated his emergency lights and siren.
Motorcyclist Looked at Sheriff Before Speeding Away
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the motorcycle initially stopped in the turn lane for northbound Belle Terre Parkway near its intersection with State Road 100.
Investigators said the driver, later identified as Lunsford, turned and made direct eye contact with Sheriff Staly before accelerating away.
With a female passenger holding on behind him, Lunsford allegedly sped north on Belle Terre Parkway, weaving between vehicles and splitting traffic lanes at a high rate of speed.
The motorcycle’s license plate was bent and mounted near the motor frame, making it unreadable.
Staly chose not to pursue the motorcycle because of the danger the driver posed to other motorists and his passenger, as well as state law and agency pursuit policies.
Deputies Used Investigative Technology to Identify Suspect
Rather than initiating a high-speed pursuit, deputies used investigative technology to track the motorcycle and identify its driver.
Investigators determined that Lunsford was operating the motorcycle.
Deputies later located Lunsford after he left his Palm Coast residence as a passenger in a car. They stopped the vehicle, and Staly responded to the scene.
The sheriff identified Lunsford as the motorcyclist who had fled from the earlier traffic stop and personally placed him under arrest.
“This guy turned a minor traffic infraction into a felony arrest,” Staly said.
“After stopping, turning his body to look directly at me, he made a really bad decision and decided to flee with a woman on the back of his bike. His bad decisions put her life and everyone else on the road at risk.”
Staly also warned drivers who attempt to escape law enforcement that deputies have other ways to locate them.
“To those who think they can outrun the Sheriff or our deputies, just know you can’t outrun the radio or our investigative capabilities,” he said.
Motorcycle Seized, Suspect Released on Bond
Lunsford was arrested on a felony charge of fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer with lights and sirens activated.
He also received four traffic citations for speeding, an obscured license plate, willful and wanton reckless driving, and fleeing and eluding.
Deputies issued him a written warning for failing to update the address on his driver’s license.
Lunsford was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was later released after posting a $2,650 bond.
The motorcycle involved in the incident, a 2004 Yamaha, was seized for forfeiture.