Mark Gregory McKerlie, a 48-year-old resident of 16 Blyth Place in Palm Coast, faces a first-degree felony arson count and two felony counts of assaulting firefighters or law enforcement officers following authorities’ response to the Blyth Place house, where McKerlie is accused of starting a fire.
“Heavy black smoke showing in the back room” when firefighters arrived, the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Lt. Patrick Juliano said this morning. There were three people in the house, including McKerlie, who lives with his stepfather and mother.
McKerlie’s stepfather, who called authorities, had immediately closed the door to the bedroom where the fire had started, thus enclosing the fire and keeping it from propagating, Juliano said, commending the man’s action. So when firefighters arrived, they were able immediately to put out the fire, and the man’s parents were not displaced from their home. Electricity to that bedroom was shut off, but the rest of the house was livable.
McKerlie, however, was displaced to the jail. For reasons unexplained, he is alleged to have attacked Chris Cottle, the chaplain of the Palm Coast Fire Department, striking him with his cane. Seeing the assault, Flagler County Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Parker intervened, “and the man reared up and struck the deputy in the head with his cane,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “The deputy then took him down to the ground and held him for other deputies to respond and help make the arrest.”
Neither the deputy nor the firefighters were seriously injured, and both returned to duty. The deputy, Staly said, “is a very large deputy to begin with, so the guy really took on the wrong deputy.” He added: “You never know what a deputy responds to, which is why you have to be prepared for anything.”
When the fire marshal examined the scene, he determined that the fire was intentionally set in the bedroom, where McKerlie is alleged to have put fire to a futon.
A first-degree arson charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The assaults on the deputy and the firefighters are each third-degree felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison each.
Mark says
This man obviously is having mental health issues and you all are just piling it on! No harm non foul, get the man the help he needs and stop damaging our society qith you false felonies and cowardice work
tribble says
The man almost set his entire house on fire and killed two people. I call that a felony.
Eva says
Tragic for this family to be sure, but who is “piling it on”? Reporting facts of what is happening in our community is not piling it on. Bless this man and his family, and the first responders who are out there for us every day!
DP says
Mark
As a now retired Firefighter myself, this is unacceptable actions by people against public service employees. It’s a felony and I diffently pursue that charge, regardless of his or her mental status. That can be addressed when incarcerated. And before you make a statement of , ” that’s what you signed up for” when you accepted the job. Nope it’s not. The problem today is no one is held accountable for their actions. I’m glad all is well with those two professionals.
Marys says
My thoughts and prayers go out to our law enforcement team and medical responders going to domestic violence situation on a daily basis is Flagler County. They put themselves in arms way to protect our community and don’t get enough recognition for what they do.
C.J. says
What we all have to understand is that the jails ARE our mental health care facilities now. State hospitals across the country were shut down decades ago and replaced with nothing , no staff, no psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors or social workers, just the jails. I hazard a guess that we no longer train very many professionals in these fields now as there are few facilities in which to serve internships or learn/train in supervised, well controlled environments. Additionally as a result of the destruction of these facilities and the programs that trained mental health professionals, we suffer a severe shortage and expect our local police to recognize all types of dangerous behavior before it is exhibited, and manage it successfully when it occurs. Same goes for citizens and relatives who try to offer care for these individuals with little actual support or protection. As evidence – my very good friend is the lone Psychiatrist in the SC Penal system. We once worked in a fully staffed psychiatric hospital system, gone since the 1980’s. Now, we want to destroy our public school system…
Pissed in PC says
Even if it’s a mental health issue he still has to be held responsible! Let him be evaluated at the jail first. The judge can order him sent to a facility. But setting his room on fire still makes him a danger to his parents and society.
Sherry says
Right On C.J.!
Important historical report on Florida’s lack of “GOOD” mental care facilities:
https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2015/investigations/florida-mental-health-hospitals/
Wow says
Well said. The jails are the “mental health facilities.” Police enforce laws. It is not against the law to be mentally ill but that is how we “treat” it – arrest and incarceration.