Palm Coast, FL - The Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) has arrested a Palm Coast man they say is connected to a string of armed robberies in Flagler County.
Deputies responded to the Shell gas station at 320 Palm Coast Pkwy. in Palm Coast at 7:30 PM on Thursday after reports of an armed robbery. A man had walked into the store, pointed a gun at the clerk, and demanded money and a pack of cigarettes. The man fled on foot with the cigarettes and $200, according to FCSO.
The Sheriff's Office could not locate the suspect during a search, but they were able to positively identify the suspect through the store's video surveillance footage. The man was identified as 27-year-old Charles Eugene Rushing-Griffen. He is a four-time convicted felon, FCSO says.
Deputies discovered Rushing-Griffen getting into a blue Ford Crown Victoria at his home on Ryall Ln. in Palm Coast. There were two passengers in the car. The deputies followed the car until they could safely conduct a felony traffic stop. During the traffic stop, deputies found a silver revolver matching the description of the one used in the Shell robbery, and they found that Rushing-Griffen had $270 in his possession.
Rushing-Griffen and the two passengers, Dhaighamyoosuf Tariq Khawaja and Camerae Lateice Hubbert, were taken into custody. Through investigation, officials were able to connect Rushing-Griffen to a possible attempted robbery at a Flagler County Mobile gas station on December 12 and an armed robbery at Terranova's Pizzeria in Bunnell on December 5.
Rushing-Griffen was taken to the Flagler County Detention Facility and held on $515,500 bond. His charges for the Shell gas station robbery include armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and driving with a suspended license.
“I am glad that this dangerous felon is off the streets of Flagler County and booked into jail where he cannot hurt anyone,” says Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “This was a great joint effort between our patrol deputies and detectives using our intelligence-led policing model of solving crime. If not for the fast work by our team, this dirtbag would be planning his next victim. Instead, he is in jail for the holidays.”
(Rushing-Griffen's mugshot courtesy Flagler County Jail)
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