A high-speed chase in Flager County, Florida ended with a 43-time convicted felon and drug dealer in jail:
On December 17, 2021, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) attempted a traffic stop on a speeding Maserati in the area of West State Road 100 and West Black Point Road. Upon the driver, later identified as Davis Howard Jr, seeing an FCSO deputy in a marked vehicle with lights activated, he continued to accelerate, fleeing from law enforcement toward Volusia County.
The responding deputy requested additional deputies to attempt to StopStick the vehicle as it continued southbound on US-1. The vehicle continued to flee at a high rate of speed, going east on Moody Boulevard where the vehicle was observed running a red light. The vehicle continued driving recklessly on I-95 and StopSticks were successfully deployed at SR 100. A felony traffic stop was conducted and both occupants were secured without further incident.
Upon questioning, the passenger stated she did not know the driver’s name because she only met him a couple of times and he picked her up from her residence in Orlando around 9:30 PM. She advised they traveled to Palatka to meet a friend, then were on the way back to her residence in Orlando. She stated she tried getting the driver to stop when deputies attempted to stop them but instead, Howard called his mom who also told him to stop the vehicle. It was determined that Howard had a suspended license since 4/4/2016.
A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted and multiple illegal drugs were found. Deputies recovered 44 white pills, identified as Oxycodone, in the driver’s door compartment, along with 12g of marijuana. In the center cup holder, deputies recovered 8.2g marijuana and on the rear right passenger seat was a small black bag containing two small baggies with an additional 200 Oxycodone pills. A total of 44g of Oxycodone was recovered and $5,651 was seized.
Howard is no stranger to law enforcement and has been charged 43 times in Florida, with nine felony convictions. He’s previously been charged for Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Destroying Evidence, Flee and Elude Law Enforcement, Use or Display of Firearm During Felony, Possession of Weapon/Ammo by Convicted Felon, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Sell, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Synthetic Cannabinoids, Possession of a Controlled Substance without Prescription, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Sell, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Battery on Law Enforcement Officer with Motor Vehicle, Use Under 18 Years Old to Sell/Deliver Meth, Trafficking Opium, Trafficking Controlled Substances, and Trafficking Phenethylamines. He’s also been charged in Illinois on multiple felony drug charges.
“This was a remarkable job by deputies getting this poison peddler off the street,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Just in this guy’s vehicle, he had enough Oxycodone for 1,100 lethal doses and clearly has no shame in repeating the same offenses for trafficking poison again and again. He is laughing at the system and needs to go to prison for a long time. It’s time to get tough on this poison peddler.”
Howard was arrested for Trafficking Oxycodone 25g or More, Fleeing with Disregard of Safety to Persons/Property, Driving While License Suspended with Knowledge, Selling of Oxycodone, and Possession of Marijuana 20g or more. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and is being held on $160,500 bond.
