| FlaglerLive | 18 Comments
Swip Swap, the free, Facebook version of a classified ad community board where gossip, neighborhood news and other items of immediate and local interest are also swapped among members, was instrumental in leading to the arrest of a 57-year-old Palm Coast woman involved in an alleged hit-and-run crash on Florida Park Drive. She faces a felony count and two misdemeanors.
The crash took place at midday last Sept. 22 at Florida Park Drive and Forest Hill Drive in Palm Coast. Joyce Ramirez was at the wheel of a 2005 Dodge Neon, driving southbound on Florida Park when she rear-ended Steven Lamoureaux, who was in a 1994 Dodge. Lamoureaux had stopped so northbound traffic could pass a stopped mail truck.
Initially the two Dodge vehicles stopped as if both occupants were going to evaluate the crash. But then the Dodge Neon made a U-turn and left the scene, according to Ramirez’s arrest report. The driver did not leave any information or render aid to Lamoureaux, who had been injured. Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime, and a felony when an injury is involved. Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies responded, but all the information they had was that the fleeing vehicle was black and had front-end damage.
Lamoureaux, a 37-year-old resident of the B Section, was hospitalized and released. His wife went on Swip Swap, described the circ*mstances of the crash, the location, and the vehicle that struck her husband’s car. Before long she got information “stating that the other driver was possibly Joyce Ramirez,” the sheriff’s report states.
Deputies went to Ramirez’s house on Fallwood Lane the day after the crash. She did not come to the door. But looking through the garage windows, deputies could see a black Dodge Neon, and a driver’s license check returned Ramirez as the vehicle owner. The next day, deputies were able to speak with Ramirez. She admitted to having been at the wheel of the car at the time of the crash, her arrest report states, saying she’d been on the way to the hospital when she struck Lamoureaux’s vehicle. She left the scene of the crash, she told authorities, because she was scared: her car was unregistered, and she had no insurance. She is also a convicted felon.
She was charged with leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, operating an unregistered vehicle and careless driving. But she was not booked at the county jail until this morning, and readily bonded out.
Five years ago Ramirez was found guilty of retail theft, her third such charge (the first time it was dropped, the second time adjudication was withheld), and was sentenced to probation. The following year she was found guilty of grand theft, a felony, and served three months in jail.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Richard says
Do you think that maybe 20 years in prison this time might make a difference in whether she breaks the law once again? NOT! As I said before, there is no rehabilitation while in prison and there certainly isn’t any after getting back out. She is a classic example that supports my claim. So what do you do? Give them a permanent place to live with meals where she can converse with others that have her same mentality. Lock her up!
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Anonymous says
Chances are, she also left the scene because she was under the influence of a something and knew that that could result in her getting an even more lengthy sentence.
See AlsoSwip-Swappers Get a Safer Trading and Exchange Zone Outside Flagler Sheriff's Office | FlaglerLiveReply
woodchuck says
Those must have be a tough 57 years.
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Russell says
Sorry Richard,
I disagree, there are quite a few which learn form prison, and become good citizens. While this does support your claim, there are many that disprove it.
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Really says
Altered
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Thomas says
unfortunately we live in a country and a society where others are not as fortunate and blessed this lady has a brain disorder and is poor and not by any means is a hardened Criminal in these times we need to pray for those involved in the accident and their family and her family
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Anonymous says
Just remember when you have one finger pointing at someone else, you have three other fingers pointing at your self. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes and we all are sinners. Give me a break, with the economy and low paying jobs here the woman may be just struggling. It isn’t easy at her age to make it. We don’t know the details and we should not be judging. This is unfortunate, it is just a good thing no one was injured. Don’t kick someone when they are down, this could be you someday. Practice what you should have been taught in grade school, treat others the way you would want to be treated. Our courts will do more to punish this woman for this than they will someone who committed home robbery!
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Lou says
Have you ever wondered what cause people to do criminal acts?
Do you think that this lady had no registration for the car, no insurance because she had all her money invested in the stock market?
This lady in need of help and our existing social system is not capable helping citizens of our country. At the same times we spend TRILLIONS on nation building in other countries.Reply
Nancy N. says
3 months in jail is not “in prison”. There’s a distinct difference between the two types of facilities in how they operate and what types of programs they offer. Expecting a repeat offender to go through a dramatic rehabilitation after such a short stay in a local jail facility with limited programs is ridiculous.
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Steven Lamoureaux says
I’m 37 not 50 plus years old. I’m glad my wife did the search for her or would not have been able to find her. She totaled my truck and we had to buy a new one. I can’t wait to go to court and throw the book at her. Thanks to all who have helped me during this time. I just hope I get paid for my truck. I own my own small business and the new truck expense wasn’t in my budget.
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Joyce says
as far as you go Richard you need to mind your own business I don’t take drugs or alcohol I suffer from seizures I have a brain tumor and the person that is anonymous you need to mind your own business you guys have nothing else better to do then mind other people’s business and you don’t even know me I’m a good person I had a seizure that day and didn’t know what I was doing so you guys need to mind your own business live your own life and worry about your own dirty laundry worry about your own skeletons in your closet thank you God bless you and have a wonderful day
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atilla says
Yes you guys, stop picking on a felon and forget she made her business our business. If you believe the seizure story, I have a bridge for sale.
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Steve says
@ Joyce when you stop driving on our roads with NO insurance license or registration then you can tell people to mind our own business. You made it our business when you chose to drive away from an accident. You know all the above is wrong. If seizures are problem maybe driving isnt an activity you should partake in especially illegally. Mind your business…..
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vt1100 says
Joyce, you said, ” I’m a good person I had a seizure that day and didn’t know what I was doing so you guys need to mind your own business…” It is the business of every other person on the road if you think you can drive with a seizure disorder!! What if you had killed that man? What if it was a school bus picking up or dropping off children?
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DRedder says
I hope the Plantiff has taken a pic of these posts to present to the ASA for her trial plea.
Now to the defendant if you have any kind of medical condition that effects your thought process and motor functions you do not belong behind the wheel of a motor vehicle nor should you operate machinery.
Therefore you are culpable and should be punished . But most importantly you need to make full restitution to the Plantiff .Reply
Anonymous says
Joyce–I had a brother who had Epilepsy (he has since died) and he was always in fear of losing his license. I am sorry for your struggles but DRIVING away from the scene of an accident like the one described above is NOT something most people who have just had a seizure are capable of doing. If this is, in fact, what you did you could have done even more harm to yourself or others. My brother worked very hard with his doctors to keep his condition under control and I fervently hope you will do the same. You could have been killed–or killed someone else. From the tone of your comment, it doesn’t sound to me like you are very concerned about the damage you might have done to yourself or the person you hit– or remorseful about the hardships that the person you hit might have to deal with as a result of this incident.. I hope I hope I am wrong about that and that you will get whatever help you need to get your act together.
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Sue says
Take away thier license!!! No excuses
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Soccer Mom says
Lou: REALLY?!? wow.
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