- April 26, 2024
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Deputies arrested a 31-year-old Palm Coast felon on three no-bond warrants March 24 after he'd fled from law enforcement for more than a year. Two of the warrants were for failure to appear at scheduled court dates. Still, a Volusia County judge released him on his own recognizance the next day — and he then went home and beat up his girlfriend, and is now back in jail on a new domestic violence charge, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
“This guy has been hiding from us since last summer after he was arrested during Operation Heat Wave,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in an FCSO news release. “At that time he posted bond and was released from jail, but never appeared at this court date. Our SIU detectives did a great job in tracking him down and we appreciate the Ormond Beach Police and Volusia County Sheriff’s Office for helping us get him off the streets. Unfortunately, a Volusia Judge decided to release him on ROR. What a joke! With his record of fleeing and failing to appear, why would anyone think he will change his behavior? This is very frustrating to the hard working men and women of FCSO. Criminals are being allowed to take advantage of the system because of coronavirus and decisions like this.”
The arrest of suspect Rondal Gibson occurred after FCSO Special Investigations Unit detectives saw him smoking a cigarette on a balcony at a local apartment, according to the news release.
He was wanted on three felony warrants — a warrant order revoking bond for trafficking a Schedule I Controlled Substance (synthetic cathinones), possession of Schedule I substance with intent to distribute, possession of cannabis over 20 grams, and possession of paraphernalia; a warrant for failure to appear for sale of cannabis and unlawful use of a two way communications device; and a warrant for failure to appear for sale of a Schedule I substance and sale of a Schedule III substance.
Ormond Beach Police Department officers and Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to help arrest him, but he ignored law enforcement officers' commands and barricaded himself inside a bathroom until deputies used a K-9 unit to get him out, according to the news release.
He was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on the three no-bond warrants. At first appearance on March 25, Volusia County Court Judge Judith Campbell released Gibson on his own recognizance, according to the news release.
Later that same day, Flagler County deputies had to deal with Gibson again: At 11:17 p.m., they responded to his home on Louvet Lane after a 911 call about a domestic violence incident.
The victim, Gibson's girlfriend, told deputies that Gibson punched her twice while she was asleep in bed. Her face was swollen, and an ambulance was called.
The victim's father was in the house at the time and heard Gibson arguing with the victim, and told deputies that he "told [Gibson], 'Not to do that s--- again; he's done it too many times,'" a deputy wrote in an FCSO arrest report. "It should be noted that [the father] was motioning a closed fist striking something during the description of the incident."
Gibson left the scene before deputies arrived at the home, but deputies found his car, stopped it, and arrested him.
He was booked into the Flagler County jail at 2:07 a.m. March 26 on a no-bond order, and remained there as of 10:30 a.m. March 26.
