The tale of Robert Michael Phillips’ latest arrest is a bit convoluted, and is perhaps best told in individual steps. Consider, then, the following:
1. Phillips, driving in West Palm Beach FL, cut in front of an unmarked Sheriff’s vehicle and narrowly avoided an accident.
2. Now being tailed by the detective in the unmarked car, Phillips headed for a spot a few blocks away, where he dealt some drugs.
3. Now being pursued openly by several police cars, Phillips fled “at a high rate of speed,” lost none of his pursuers, and, after parking neatly, ran into a Michael’s arts and crafts store.
4. Phillips “barreled” into a female customer and knocked her over in an attempt at concealing the fact that he was also dropping a loaded shotgun.
5. He then ran out the back door, where police were already waiting, with police dogs.
It would be a humorous montage if it weren’t also for the fact that police found, on Phillips’ person and in his car, a collection including 22 grams of heroin, 5.3 grams of crack cocaine, a drug scale, hypodermic needles, and cash totaling $2,316.
So, given all of that, it’s perhaps not surprising that Phillips listed his occupation as “drug dealer” when police booked him. It would be harder to explain the 27.3 grams of drugs had he said he was a stockbroker. (Or maybe not.)
According to the arrest report, Phillips’ priors include “carrying a concealed weapon, possession of cocaine, bringing contraband into a penal institution, possession of a weapon or ammunition by convicted felon, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.”
In the instance detailed above, though, he’s only being charged with “three counts of resisting arrest with violence, two counts of possession of drug equipment and one count each of heroin trafficking, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a career criminal, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, committing a first-degree felony with a weapon, fleeing and eluding law enforcement at a high rate of speed, striking a police animal, battery and driving with a suspended license.”
His bail is set at $242,000.
(Photo credits: WPBPD; Byung Kyu Park via Flickr)
