2 men arrested after they attempted to flee traffic stop, deputies say

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Flagler County deputies arrested two men after they attempted to flee from a traffic stop during a search of their vehicle, officials said.

Around 1:40 a.m. Monday, deputies said they conducted a traffic stop after a car made a left turn into oncoming traffic.

Deputies said the driver, Dwayne Michael Carty, said he was not familiar with the area and did not know he was turning the wrong way.

Carty and his passenger, Shareef Brendon Mpuang, told deputies they were traveling from West Palm Beach to St. Augustine. However, deputies said they didn’t have any of luggage in the car and there were no signs they were traveling a long distance. Deputies said the vehicle the men were traveling in was registered to a woman who had no relation to them.

Carty voluntarily allowed the deputies to search the vehicle, deputies said.

Officials said they found a plastic shopping bag that contained a large amount of marijuana inside the trunk.

While deputies were examining the contents of the trunk, they said Carty put the car in drive and drove away at a high speed.

Deputies said Carty was driving recklessly while traveling on I-95 near the 289 I-95 north off-ramp. Officials said they deployed stop sticks that caused the car’s tires to deflate.

Carty continued fleeing until the car crashed into a Spectrum cable box near the post office on Pine Cone Drive, according to deputies. Carty then fled into the woods.

Two post office employees told deputies a man was hiding under a building at the back of the post office. Deputies were then able to locate Carty and arrest him.

Mpuang remained inside the car at the time of the crash and was taken into custody, according to deputies.

Deputies said during investigation, it was revealed that Mpuang had altered his U.S. Visa illegally after it expired.

Mpuang was placed under arrest on suspicion of unauthorized possession of an identification card.

The marijuana deputies found in the car weighed approximately 323 grams, deputies said.

Carty was charged with possession of marijuana, fleeing law enforcement, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a crash involving damage, tampering with evidence and resisting an officer without violence.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection determined the men were unlawfully residing within the U.S. and requested they be held for the agency, deputies said.

“These guys put the lives of our deputies in danger when they decided to flee while deputies were searching the vehicle,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “We are thankful that no one was injured. This highlights the dangers deputies face on a daily basis and how a routine traffic stop can change quickly.”

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