A Palm Coast man was arrested Tuesday evening after a DUI investigation escalated into a physical confrontation with law enforcement officers in Bunnell, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Shortly after 7 p.m., deputies responded to East Moody Boulevard and North Palmetto Street to assist the Bunnell Police Department following a traffic stop for an illegal U-turn. The driver, identified as 56-year-old Richard Lakin, told officers he had just left a bar where he drank four beers.
Officers reported that Lakin showed several signs of impairment, including slurred speech, bloodshot and glossy eyes, the odor of alcohol on his breath, and an argumentative demeanor. Based on those observations, he was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.
During the first exercise, Lakin became visibly upset and walked away toward a patrol car. When questioned about where he was going, he reportedly said, “I’m going to jail” and “You all got me.” Officers advised him that refusing to complete the exercises would result in arrest.
According to authorities, Lakin became increasingly agitated during the arrest and began resisting. Deputies took him to the ground and placed him in handcuffs, but he continued to struggle and flail his legs, at one point striking a deputy and causing a minor abrasion. Officers said he continued to verbally berate them while being escorted to a patrol car.
A Bunnell police officer and two sheriff’s deputies sustained minor injuries, including abrasions and gashes, during the incident. Flagler County Fire Rescue paramedics evaluated them at the scene. Lakin refused medical treatment and was reported to have yelled and struck his head against the cage partition inside the patrol car.
During an inventory search of the vehicle, deputies found a half-full Coors Banquet beer on the back passenger floorboard.
Records show Lakin has prior arrests. In 2021, he was arrested for battery and obstruction without violence after shoving a bartender and resisting arrest. He later entered a no-contest plea, with adjudication withheld. He also faced charges in Duval County in 2017 for disorderly intoxication, battery, and obstruction without violence. Additional past charges outside Florida include possession, assault, and destruction of property in Maryland.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly commented on the arrest, saying, “This aggressive drunk has a history of fighting, battery, and obstruction of law enforcement. He fought the law and the law won.” He added, “I promise you that if you resist arrest and batter a deputy or police officer, you will always end up at the Green Roof Inn.”
Lakin was charged with driving under the influence, resisting with violence, three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, and refusal to submit to a breath test. He was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and later released on a $14,000 bond.
Video of Lakin’s arrest was made available by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, here.
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