Armed Daytona Man Arrested for Series of Threats

A Daytona Beach man was arrested this week after allegedly making threats to kill an unnamed person, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office announced. 45-year-old Adrian Morales was taken into custody at Icon One Daytona on Saturday, where he was reportedly found with a semi-automatic rifle and ammunition. According to the VSO, Morales sent multiple threatening messages. Some depicted gunshots, and one reportedly read “this is what’s in store”. Morales was said to have previously sent ‘aggressive messages’ to a NASCAR executive, and so his presence across the street from the ongoing NASCAR race weekend was a point of concern. Though the VSO didn’t clarify who was the recipient of these newest threats, they did say Morales ‘referenced grievances’ with several agencies including the VSO themselves, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). When deputies located Morales on Saturday, he was reportedly well-armed. The VSO’s statement on the arrest says his vehicle contained an AR-15 and several rounds of ammunition. The AR-15 is the one used in one of the threatening messages, the VSO says. Since Saturday Morales has been held in custody at the Volusia County Branch Jail without bond. He’s been charged with written threats to kill or inflict bodily injury, as well as unlawful usage of a two-way communication device.