The 58-year-old man accused of pointing an AK-47 at former President Donald Trump on Sunday afternoon has a prolific arrest record that spans several decades.

Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested shortly after the incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Authorities said Secret Service agents fired at him after seeing the muzzle of his AK-47 pointing through a chain-link fence one hole ahead of where Trump was playing.

Authorities are treating the episode as an apparent assassination attempt on Trump.

A background check on the name given by officials, Ryan Wesley Routh, revealed that he currently lives in Hawaii and has faced dozens of run-ins with police, stretching back to at least the 1990s.

Routh is a native of North Carolina, where his list of arrests includes simple drug possession, driving without a license, expired inspection and operating a vehicle with no insurance. In addition, the Greensboro News & Record reported in 2002 that Routh was arrested after barricading himself in his roofing company’s office during a three-hour standoff that followed a traffic stop in which he put his hand on a gun before fleeing.

TRUMP SAFE AFTER ‘GUNSHOTS IN HIS VICINITY,’ CAMPAIGN SAYS

Sheriff vehicles are pictured near Trump International Golf Club, Sunday. Sept. 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla., after gunshots were reported in the vicinity of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Stephanie Matat)

Routh moved to Hawaii in 2017, records show. He has since launched another construction company in Hawaii that builds simple housing structures for homeless people, according to a LinkedIn page that appears to belong to Routh.  

“This does not appear to be some random guy with an AK-47 walking outside Trump’s club,” an official said after the Sunday afternoon incident.

FILE: The motorcade for President Donald Trump arrives at Trump International Golf Club, Feb. 15, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Fla. 

News of the incident broke shortly after Trump was safely escorted off of the golf course. 

A Secret Service member spotted the would-be gunman while Trump was playing on the course’s fifth hole. Officials say he abandoned an AK-47, a go-pro camera and two backpacks along a chain-link fence that borders the sixth hole of the course. 

Routh fled in an SUV after a member of the Secret Service fired on him, but was soon arrested, according to authorities.

Trump’s campaign quickly issued a statement that the 45th president was safe, with Trump following up in a message to supporters that he will “never surrender.” 

Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson confirmed that the Secret Service opened fire after they saw a man lift an AK-47. The suspect took off in a car but was quickly apprehended, authorities said.

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“There were gunshots in my vicinity but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” he wrote in a message that was shared on social media.

“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” he continued. “I will always love you for supporting me. Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again. May God bless you.”

EXCLUSIVE: WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The man accused in the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was oddly calm when the law caught up to him, according to the Florida sheriff who nabbed him.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said he was immediately suspicious after pulling over 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh. Routh had fled in a black Nissan after Secret Service agents fired shots after spotting him poking a rifle through the fence around Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., where the former president was playing a round. 

“I was at the scene, and he had a very, very kind of detached, flat face. So I felt like it wasn’t bothering him,” Snyder said. 

Snyder added that Routh never even questioned him about the reason for him being pulled over, despite there being helicopters and police lights everywhere.

WHO IS RYAN WESLEY ROUTH: ALLEGED GUNMAN AT TRUMP GOLF CLUB

Routh was allegedly armed with an AK-47 outside the golf course while Trump was playing the fifth hole on Sunday. He was arrested in neighboring Martin County, Snyder said.

The plot was foiled when a Secret Service agent walking on the golf course a hole ahead of Trump’s party saw the rifle, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said during a press conference.

Routh was 300 to 500 yards away from Trump, authorities said.

TRUMP SAFE AFTER ‘GUNSHOTS IN HIS VICINITY,’ CAMPAIGN SAYS

Pictures of evidence found at the fence of former President Donald Trump’s golf course are shown at a press conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024 following a second attempt on the president’s life. (Candan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)

“I think every American with common sense recognizes no matter where you are on the political spectrum, this is completely appalling. I mean, it’s horrific,” Snyder said. 

“Here you have the past president of the United States, a contender for being the next president of the United States. And the guy’s out golfing. What the heck? He was out golfing. He’s not even on the campaign,” Snyder continued.

Authorities said Routh had two backpacks, bullet-deflecting ceramic plates and a GoPro camera, which were recovered by authorities.

The AK-47 was also recovered by authorities.

“How does a guy get to a fence with a tactical rifle and a sighting on it on a golf course where the former president of the United States is golfing? I find it appalling and, unfortunately, I think it’s a commentary on the state of affairs in America,” Snyder said.

Snyder went on to praise local law enforcement for their efforts to apprehend Routh. 

RYAN ROUTH, ARMED MAN ARRESTED AT TRUMP GOLF COURSE, POSTED PROLIFICALLY ABOUT TRUMP, POLITICS

Sheriff vehicles are pictured near Trump International Golf Club, Sunday. Sept. 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla., after gunshots were reported in the vicinity of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump. (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)

“I think the men and women in law enforcement down in Palm Beach County did everything they could to keep President Trump safe. And I would suspect that they will now redouble their efforts and do even more in the future,” he added.

The former president echoed Snyder and also praised the Secret Service’s quick action during the incident, in which he was swarmed and swiftly escorted back to the clubhouse in a golf cart at the sound of gunfire.

Just two months ago, Trump was shot in the right ear by a would-be assassin during a rally in Butler, Pa. Following the second attempt on his life, Trump reassured his supporters that he was “safe and well.”

“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” the former president said in a fundraising email sent out following the shooting.

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“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me,” Trump added.

Travel stirs the soul and motivates the muse of even the most inartful explorers. 

“People don’t take trips . . . trips take people,” proclaimed author John Steinbeck, who famously captured rough times on the road from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to golden California in his 1939 novel “The Grapes of Wrath.”

New lavish landscapes, first-time flavors and curious cultures inspire an itch among wide-eyed wanderers to capture the joy of new discoveries in photos, journals, social media posts and even the time-honored art of penning postcards.

FROM ALABAMA TO TEXAS, US TRAVEL SPOTS TO SOAK UP AMERICAN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION

For the most gifted and most inspired travelers, new discoveries inspire words, books, songs, images and art that plant themselves in popular culture. 

Here’s a look at five landmarks of American travel inspirational enough to shape the national culture. 

1. California – Big Sur

Big Sur reminds visitors that California, the most populous state in the union, still boasts awe-inspiring natural beauty. 

State Route 1 hangs precariously between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, offering dramatic and sometimes nerve-wracking vistas of land, sea and towering redwood forests. 

“Jack Kerouac . . . helped popularize the rugged coastal scenery with the 1962 novel “Big Sur.”

Jack Kerouac, already famous for “On the Road,” helped popularize the rugged coastal scenery with the 1962 novel “Big Sur.”

The Beach Boys, Alanis Morissette and Johnny Rivers have all performed songs with “Big Sur” in the title, while several movies have been filmed there. Famed novelist Henry Miller lived for many years in Big Sur, where the Henry Miller Memorial Library still celebrates his legacy. 

Millions drive the 70-mile stretch of road through Big Sur each year, but it remains remarkably isolated, with few permanent residents or roadside amenities. Landslides frequently make Big Sur inaccessible by auto, including here in 2024. 

2. Florida – Key West

A man and woman with rented bicycles outside Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The Florida Keys begin just south of Miami and extend more than 100 miles west into the Gulf of Mexico. 

The spectacular archipelago of coral islands offers one of the most stunning drives in the nation, with the feeling of skimming across the ocean as autos leap from one island to the next. 

The road ends in Key West, an adult paradise of boozy singalong bars, seafood shacks and leisurely nightlife. The most popular activity in Key West is watching the sun set gloriously each night from Mallory Square. 

FLORIDA’S FORGOTTEN THEME PARK FROM 1938 WELCOMES TOURISTS DESPITE POPULAR COMPETITION

Key West has probably inspired more books, songs and hangovers per square mile than any city in America. 

Musician Jimmy Buffett turned this real-life “Margaritaville” into an entire sub-genre of tiki-cocktail flavored, sun-soaked pop tunes. Kenny Chesney and Bob Dylan, among many others, sing rapturously of Key West.

Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West when he wrote many of his famous novels, including “A Farewell to Arms,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Death in the Afternoon.” His Key West home is one of America’s most popular literary landmarks.

3. Georgia – Savannah Historic District

Savannah, Georgia, landmark sign notes that the city was the home of “Jingle Bells” composer James L. Pierpont. It does not state that the song was written in Savannah, recognizing the mystery of the song’s origin. (Courtesy Visit Savannah)

The 18th-century south thrives today amid the verdant squares of Savannah. 

Visitors love the slow-paced city, nearly 300 years old, for the colonial cobblestones of River Street; delicious restaurants highlighting the best of southern fare, such as Paula Deen’s flagship eatery The Lady and Sons and its historic layout of leafy downtown squares.

AUTUMN IN NEW ENGLAND SIX STATES PACK BIG COLOR, MAJOR HISTORY, IN SMALL AREA

Savannah had newfound popularity following its haunting, captivating portrayal in the 1994 bestselling book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” 

That same year, Savannah set the stage for one of biggest movie hits of all time. War hero and tech tycoon “Forrest Gump” narrated his amazing tale while waiting for a bus in Chippewa Square.

Savannah also claims to have inspired one of the most popular tunes in world history. James Lord Pierpoint, a Savannah church musician, wrote “Jingle Bells” in the 1850s.

4. New Jersey – Asbury Park Boardwalk

Fortune teller Madam Marie is among the local oddities that give the Asbury Park boardwalk its festive vibe. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

New Jersey’s boardwalks fuel a festive American carnival-like culture up and down the Garden State coast. The boardwalk in the juke-joint town of Asbury Park may be the most iconic — offering scenic ocean vistas, easy access to New York City and notable contributions to American pop culture. 

Bruce Springsteen burst onto the American cultural scene with his debut album, “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,” helping to fuel the city’s rep as a rock music haven.

Today’s attractions include the Silverball Retro Arcade, the Stephen Crane House, which was the home of the author of the famed Civil War novel “The Red Badge of Courage,” and celebrated music venue The Stone Pony.

“Did you hear the cops finally busted Madam Marie / for telling fortunes better than they do / For me this boardwalk life is through,” Springsteen croons to Sandy in his 1973 hit “4th of July, Asbury Park.” 

Yet fortune-teller Madam Marie’s stall remains and New Jersey’s boardwalk scene still thrives. 

5. Ohio – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Elvis Presley, rock & roll star of the 1950s, performs on stage. (Getty Images)

The American-born art form of rock ‘n’ roll fused artistic and cultural influences in the years after World War II. It would light the fire of global pop music in the 1950s.

The best performers of the genre are immortalized within the I.M. Pei-designed museum in Cleveland. 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, MARCH 21, 1952, FIRST ROCK CONCERT HELD IN CLEVELAND, ENDS IN CHAOS, CONFLICT

The Rock Hall was sited on the banks of Lake Erie in deference to Cleveland’s role in shaping the future of pop culture. 

Cleveland, among other contributions, was the home of celebrated DJ Alan Freed. An enthusiastic promoter of the new genre, he is credited with coining the globally known term “rock ‘n’ roll” itself. 

Ernest Hemingway lookalike contest, Key West, Fla.; Big Sur, Calif.; and Bruce Springsteen. 

Freed also hosted the Moondog Coronation Ball in 1952, widely proclaimed the first rock concert.

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The Rock Hall now wraps its arms around many other genres, including rappers (Grandmaster Flash), country stars (Bob Wills), soul crooners (Al Green) and pre-rock-era icons (Louis Armstrong), among others.