'I Run the County,' Fla. Commissioner Tells Trooper When Pulled Over for Hitting 92 MPH in Ferrari
A Florida official told a state trooper "I run the county" after he was pulled over on the highway last month.
In dashcam footage released by the Florida Highway Patrol, a trooper is seen issuing Flagler County Commission Chairman Joe Mullins a speeding ticket during a June 19 traffic stop on Interstate 95.
According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, Mullins was driving his 2013 Ferrari convertible at 92 mph in a 70 mph zone at around 8:45 a.m. The trooper can be heard informing the commissioner of the violation in FHP's dashcam footage.
"Usually I give warnings, I give breaks. But it looks like you've been written a warning already," he said before informing Mullins that he was receiving a citation.
As the trooper discussed Mullins' ticket, the commissioner interrupted and said, "I run the county."
"You run the county?" the officer asked, to which Mullins, 51, replied, "Yeah, I'm chairman of the county commission," per the clip.
"I just have to explain," the trooper responded. "I don't want any miscommunication." He then continued to explain Mullins' options before allowing the commissioner to leave.
Mullins and the Flagler County Commission did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Joe Mullins/Facebook Joe Mullins
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In an undated letter to the Flagler County magistrate judge, obtained by FlaglerLive, Mullins claimed he was "preparing for family to come into town and running behind in my work schedule rushing between meetings" when he was pulled over.
"I lost track of time while and while taking calls and dealing with traffic knowing I was behind schedule, I was not paying attention to my speed nor the limit," he wrote.
Mullins requested that points "not be noted if possible" on his license and his record and promised to "pay more attention to my speed and be aware of my time" moving forward.
Mullins paid a $281 fine and produced a certificate for completing his __ course on July 5, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.
This was the second time Mullins, who is currently seeking re-election to his District 4 seat, had been stopped for speeding in just a two-week span, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal and FlaglerLive.
A separate citation said Mullins was pulled over on June 2 in a gray 2018 Mercedes Benz SUV for driving 89 mph in a 60-mph zone in the express lane on the eastbound side of Interstate 4, per the outlet.
Mullins was described as "extremely condescending, belligerent, illogical and disrespectful" during the stop, and at one point "flashed his business card to get out of ticket."
FHP released dashcam footage from the June 2 incident as well, in which one of the two troopers at the scene warned Mullins that he could be arrested if he exited his vehicle.
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Dispatch notes from the department, obtained by the News-Journal, reported that Mullins "stated it would be a carrer [sic] ending move if I arrested him for failing to obey a lawful order" and claimed the troopers were putting "everybody's lives at risk to pull him over."
In a June 6 letter to the Seminole County Clerk of Courts, also obtained by FlaglerLive, Mullins suggested that he was "running behind in my work meeting schedule" and claimed he was simply "speeding up to bypass traffic from one lane to another."
Similar to his most recent letter, Mullins asked that point not be put on his driving record as a result of the ticket and promised "to pay more attention to my speed and be aware of my time so it will not put me in a rush situation."
