A Hastings resident was arrested in Flagler County on Wednesday after a dramatic pursuit that led to the recovery of a missing child. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detailed the incident that placed 60-year-old Darnell Hairston behind bars. 15-year-old Junior Bishop was then arrested later after allegedly fleeing deputies in a chase that crashed two vehicles.
According to the FCSO, the incident started after a resident called in suspicious activity on US-1 near Whiteview Drive in Palm Coast. They’d reported a white Ford F-150, which was reportedly being driven by Hairston with two juvenile passengers.
Traffic Stop Turns Violent
Darnell Hairston is taken to the ground by FCSO deputies. ⓒ Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
A traffic stop was conducted, and a deputy asked Hairston to exit the vehicle. During the stop, deputies apparently determined that one of the juveniles was reported missing in St. Johns County. They were taken and placed into a patrol vehicle.
Deputies are shown on bodycam telling Hairston to put his hands behind his back. At this point he’s shown suddenly running away, seeming to trip and fall in one of the lanes of US-1. As deputies mobbed Hairston, the other juvenile then appears to have gotten back into the pickup truck and sped away. That juvenile was identified as 15-year-old Junior Bishop.
A previous mugshot of Darnell Hairston. ⓒ Florida Department of Corrections
During the struggle with Hairston, he’s said to have tried to reach for one of the deputies’ guns. He was later charged with criminal attempt at a ranked offense, attempting to deprive an officer of their gun, and resisting an officer with violence. Hairston was booked into the county jail without bond at 3:52 am on New Year’s Day.
As it turns out, Hairston is a registered sex offender in Florida. He was most recently released from the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections in 2009. He’d been there serving a twelve-year sentence for three counts of false imprisonment. Other past charges against Hairston include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary with assault or battery, domestic cruelty, disorderly intoxication, lewd or lascivious offenses against a child, property damage, and sexual battery.
Police Chase Into West Flagler County
With Bishop having allegedly driven away from the scene, a pursuit began to arrest him and recover the truck. The teenager is said to have turned west on State Road 100, making his way into rural west Flagler County. He was nearing the border with Putnam County when a deputy was reportedly able to pass him and attempt to stop him.
Bishop is then said to have merged into a lane of oncoming traffic before slamming into the deputy’s patrol vehicle. Both of the two are said to have crashed into the woods, and the pickup truck rolled over. When Bishop got out of the wrecked truck, the FCSO says, he was quickly taken into custody.
Junior Bishop’s mugshot. ⓒ Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
One deputy involved in the pursuit at one point lost control of his vehicle and hit an automotive repair shop in Bunnell, the FCSO says. Two deputies sustained minor injuries, and both were taken to AdventHealth Palm Coast for treatment. Bishop was also looked over, but was determined to have not been injured.
Following the dramatic chase, Bishop was also booked into the county jail without bond. He’s being charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, driving without a license, and resisting an officer without violence.
“This was a very suspicious incident that is still under investigation by our detectives, but I am thankful that nobody was seriously hurt and that we were able to recover a missing child from this pervert’s grasp,” said Sheriff Rick Staly of the incident. “I also do not understand why a pervert who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2004 was released after only five years in 2009. Clearly, he has not learned anything!”
The following video of the arrest and chase was provided by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
