A 15‑year‑old Hastings teen is now facing adult felony charges after authorities say he played a key role in a chaotic New Year’s Eve incident that unfolded across county lines and intersected with the search for a missing St. Johns County child. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Junior Bishop, already on juvenile probation for a violent offense, has been transferred to the Volusia County Branch Jail and is being held on $133,000 bond following his first appearance Friday morning.
The case began on December 31, 2025, when the Flagler County Emergency Communications Center received an alert regarding Darnel Hairston, a 60‑year‑old registered sex offender from Hastings. Hairston was reportedly traveling through Flagler County with two juveniles inside his vehicle, including a child who had been reported missing out of St. Johns County. Deputies quickly located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop, taking Hairston into custody without incident.
What happened next, investigators say, turned a high‑risk recovery operation into a dangerous pursuit. As deputies focused on securing Hairston, Bishop allegedly jumped behind the wheel of Hairston’s vehicle and sped away from the scene. The teen’s flight triggered an urgent response from multiple units as deputies attempted to stop the stolen vehicle while ensuring the safety of the juveniles involved.
Authorities say Bishop’s actions during the escape placed deputies and the public at significant risk. According to the Sheriff’s Office, he drove recklessly, ignored commands, and resisted officers attempting to detain him. Although the missing child was ultimately recovered safely, investigators are now examining whether Bishop acted as a co‑conspirator in the kidnapping or knowingly assisted Hairston before or during the incident.
Sheriff Rick Staly did not mince words when addressing the severity of the charges and the decision to prosecute Bishop as an adult. “This kid was already on probation for a violent offense when he committed these new felony crimes,” Staly said. “I commend and support our State Attorney for charging Bishop as an adult because of the seriousness of his crimes. Frankly, if you commit serious adult felonies as a juvenile, especially when you are already on probation, you should expect to be held accountable as an adult. This is especially true when your actions could have seriously injured a deputy sheriff.”
Prosecutors have filed a series of charges that reflect the gravity of the incident. Bishop faces two first‑degree felonies—aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and fleeing and eluding at a reckless speed—each carrying a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years in prison if convicted. He is also charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, along with three misdemeanor offenses: resisting an officer without violence, reckless driving, and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
The investigation into the kidnapping remains active, with detectives working to determine the full extent of Bishop’s involvement and whether he knowingly aided Hairston in transporting the missing child. Hairston, who was arrested at the scene, faces his own expanding list of charges in connection with the case.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has emphasized that the swift recovery of the missing child was made possible by a community member who reported suspicious activity—an example, they said, of the importance of vigilance and timely reporting.
As the case moves forward, prosecutors are preparing for what is expected to be a complex legal process involving both juvenile and adult criminal histories, interstate alerts, and the involvement of a registered sex offender. Bishop remains in custody as investigators continue piecing together the events that led to the dangerous confrontation and the recovery of the missing child.