- April 24, 2024
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Stephen Horton was arrested Jan. 16 on charges that he illegally left vehicles, scrap metal and other debris on State Road 11 in Bunnell. There were 14 reports of illegally dumping in the same location over the past 11 months.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has been working with Flagler County Code Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Department of Transportation on a case of parked vehicles blocking a state right of way and illegal dumping since February 2020. The location of the ordinance violations occurred at 8899 State Road 11 in Bunnell.
Deputy First Class Steve Williams took the case over in July 2020 and was able to track the vehicles parked routinely in the state right of way back to Stephen J. Horton. The majority of the illegal dumping involved scrap metal and debris. Williams met with Horton on several occasions to discuss the issue.
On July 9, 2020, FCSO issued a written warning to Horton for littering. FDOT hired an environmental services company to clear out all of the debris and fix up the area at the cost of $4,200.
The debris removed weighed over 500 pounds. FDOT also installed new "No Parking" signs and reflective markers on the roadway. By August 2020, Horton began parking vehicles illegally and dumping scrap metal back on the State Right of Way.
“We responded to this location for ordinance violations 14 times since February 2020,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Multiple vehicles have been tagged and towed from the location for blocking the state right of way, and Mr. Horton received plenty of verbal and written warnings along with county ordinance violations to clean up the mess but instead he refused to comply and continued to trash the area. Neighbors should not have to live with this eyesore.”
On Dec. 8, 2020, Williams submitted charged to the State Attorney’s Office on Horton for illegal dumping. On Jan. 16, 2021, a warrant was signed for Horton’s arrest. He was taken into custody by the Flagler Beach Police Department on Jan. 16 and booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and released after posting a $1,000 bond.
Horton has previous arrests in Flagler County for grand theft, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing or eluding law enforcement, and violation of probation.
