A Palm Coast man’s freedom lasted only two months before a Friday afternoon traffic stop landed him back in the Flagler County jail. Jimmie Belle III, 32, was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office PACE Unit just after 5 p.m. following a stop at the intersection of Royal Palms Parkway and U.S. Highway 1.
Detectives initially pulled Belle over after noticing his vehicle had an expired registration. During the interaction, investigators discovered that Belle did not have a valid driver’s license.
A background check revealed a significant driving history, including four prior convictions for driving with a suspended license and four separate convictions for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement officers.
The arrest marks Belle’s 17th in Flagler County since 2012. His criminal record includes four prior prison sentences for offenses spanning Flagler, St. Johns, and Clay counties.
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Those previous charges range from grand theft of a motor vehicle and battery on a law enforcement officer to domestic battery by strangulation and drug possession. He had been most recently released from state prison in February.
“Apparently, he didn’t learn anything during his many stints in prison that he shouldn’t violate the law,” Sheriff Rick Staly said regarding the arrest. “At least this habitual traffic offender did learn he should not flee from law enforcement.”
Belle was charged with felony habitual driving while his license was suspended. He was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and was later released after posting a $2,500 bond.
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