Family: Missing Palm Beach Gardens Lyft driver’s car found in North Carolina, man in custody

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida. Family members of a missing Palm Beach Gardens Lyft driver said his car was found in North Carolina, where authorities say the murder suspect is in custody.

Gary Levine, 74, was last seen on Monday. Family members told WPTV they lost contact with him after he went to pick up a Lyft customer.

“For him to completely disappear from the map is not at all normal,” Lindsey DiBetta, Levine’s daughter, said Wednesday.

Dibetta said a man was taken into custody in North Carolina for driving her father’s red 2022 Kia Stinger. However, Levin is still missing.

Rutherford County, NC Sheriff Aaron Ellenberg confirmed to WPTV that Matthew Scott Flores, 35, was apprehended following a three-county chase on Thursday.

Ellenberg said authorities located the Stinger in McDowell County, followed by a chase leading to Rutherford County.

The sheriff said police used stop sticks to stop a car that crashed in Ellenboro, about 11 miles north of the South Carolina border.

Ellenberg said Flores fled after the accident but was soon apprehended and taken to a North Carolina hospital after it turned out he was under the influence of drugs.

Flores was later released from medical care and taken to the Rutherford County Detention Center.

WLOS-TV

According to a press release from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, Flores was wanted in Florida for second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, public use of a firearm, and violation of a supervised pre-trial investigation.

The Vauchula Police Department, located in Hardy County, reported that Flores shot and killed José Carlos Martinez on January 24.

Police said a woman named Stephanie Velgara helped Flores escape law enforcement in Florida and was arrested for being an accessory to second-degree murder.

“As the investigation continues, we will focus on those who aided or assisted Flores and identify them to ensure they are properly prosecuted for their role in Flores’ escape from law enforcement,” the Vauchula police department wrote on Facebook.

Ellenberg said Flores would eventually be extradited to Florida to face charges.

“We are devastated and disgusted by everything and at this point we don’t even want to know all the details about this criminal who drove my father’s car,” Dibetta said in a statement to WPTV. “All we care about is his whereabouts. We are nervously awaiting details about my father from the authorities.”

Levin was supposed to pick someone up shortly before 1:30 p.m. Monday.

“We don’t know if he actually picked up the person, if he picked up the person when it was completed, or what happened,” Dibetta said.

Police told Dibetta that her father’s car was spotted in several Florida cities, including Miami, Okeechobee and, most recently, Gainesville. Neither Levin nor his mobile phone is still there.

“We kind of don’t believe he’s with the car,” Dibetta said. “Why does he drive with his phone off?”

Police also said that Levine did not threaten to harm himself and had no known medical conditions.

A Lyft spokesperson released the following statement about Levin’s disappearance:

Anyone who may have seen Levin or his Kia Stinger is asked to contact the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department at 561-799-4445.