Palm Coast, FL - A call to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office for a man disturbing the peace and yelling racial slurs turns into an arrest for breach of peace and threats against law enforcement early this morning. Forty-year-old Richard Luke is being held without bond in the Flagler County Jail.
Deputies responded to the Palm Coast Red Roof Inn just after midnight this morning (June 29) in reference to a reported fight in the parking lot. They arrived to find several people outside who confirmed that they saw a drunk white man yelling racial slurs at a black couple. Luke and the black man scuffled for a minute before separating. Deputies talked with that man who said he did not know Richard Luke but that Luke came at him in an aggressive manner while using vulgar ethnic slurs. The man said he struck Luke in the face with a closed fist once. Luke turned and walked back toward the hotel.
The motel clerk told officers what room Luke was in. They knocked on the door which was answered by Carol Luke. Richard Luke came out into the hallway shouting racial slurs. Deputies attempted to talk to him but he continued to be loud and belligerent. He refused to cooperate and was escorted to the floor and secured with handcuffs.
Deputies say that Luke was yelling as he was being removed from the motel, shouting about how he was a "Florida Cracker from Okeechobee" and making vulgar remarks about people of color. During transport to the jail, Luke continued talking about his 'cracker status' and saying he was going to kill people of color. He then made the mistake of threatening to cut the deputy's throat and watch him bleed "like a stuck pig" when he got out.
The deputy who arrested Luke said he never stopped yelling threats against different ethnicities and racially charged slurs about people of color.
Further investigation found that Luke was charged with Domestic Violence Battery by Strangulation against his wife, Carol Luke. He was ordered to have no contact with her but was living with her in the motel. He is charged with Felony Violation of Community Control, Threatening a Law Enforcement Officer, also a Felony and Disorderly Conduct.
