John Cascone, the AdventHealth Palm Coast surgeon who pleaded to a battery charge in a domestic violent case four years ago, was arrested again on Saturday (Nov. 4) on a felony count of aggravated child abuse involving a 15-year-old girl, and a felony battery count involving his wife. He was released the next day on $60,000 bond.
Cascone and his wife of three years have been living in their Colechester Lane house with his wife’s daughter. The daughter reported to 911 the night of Nov. 4 that Cascone, whom she referred to as her step-father, had struck her and her mother. She would later tell deputies that Cascone had pinned her down and pepper-sprayed her after head-butting her mother immediately after her mother told Cascone: “You’ve hit me three nights in a row.”
The 15 year old told deputies she was in her bedroom when she started hearing banging and yelling in the house. She left her room and saw Cascone allegedly pushing her mother around. Her mother was bleeding. The girl told Cascone to stay away from her mother. After the head-butting, Cascone continued to push the girl’s mother and strike both women until the girl’s mother fell. The girl ran to her room to retrieve pepper spray to defend her mother.
Cascone grabbed the pepper spray from her, pushed her down, “and pinned her to the ground by her arm as he deployed the pepper spray” on her. The girl’s mother was able to help her escape, at which point the girl ran off and called 911. She was flushing her eyes when Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies arrived. The smell of the pepper spray, which one of the deputies recognized, was still in the air.
The mother did not deny what her daughter had witnessed or told deputies, but she declined to provide a statement or seek medical attention.
Cascone told deputies that his wife and her daughter had been in an argument and that he attempted to separate them. He said he had no further recollections. He had an injured pinky finger. He attributed that to hitting himself against a table. His wife had told deputies that the injury was from a bite as the women were attempting to get the 15-year-old away from Cascone’s grip.
Deputies determined that Cascone “maliciously utilized the OC spray against his daughter who he had pinned to the ground and would not allow her to escape as she was sprayed across the eyes,” according to the arrest report. (The technical term for pepper spray is Oleoresin Capsicum.)
The felony battery charge involving Cascone’s wife would have been a misdemeanor battery charge but for the 2019 case, when Cascone originally faced counts of aggravated battery and battery by strangulation, both felonies. That incident involved his then-wife (with whom he has a child who is not yet 10 years old), who at the time made allegations of violent behavior by Cascone.
For a time after that incident Cascone could only see his daughter at what was then known as Sally’s Safe Haven, the supervised visitation center in Bunnell, carrying out 10 such visits before the court granted Cascone the right to see the child unsupervised more frequently. At the same time, the court imposed a two-year injunction for protection for Cascone’s ex-wife, forbidding Cascone to be within 500 feet of her home or to have any contact with her.
Divorce proceedings, initiated in November 2019, became final in September 2021, with shared custody of the child. Along the way, Cascone’s lawyer, John Hager, and prosecutors reached a plea deal that downgraded both felony charges to a misdemeanor battery count, with both sides agreeing that it was not a case of domestic violence under Florida law. Cascone was not adjudicated guilty–the judge withheld adjudication. He was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and barred from communicating with the victim except through Talking Parents, the app.
The dude says
He seems nice…
Definitely a central floriduh man.
Floriduh is where depravity retires to, and where morality goes to die.
Me says
He needs to go find another profession and take behavior classes on how to treat women.
His track record is rather poor.
Toto says
Only such a little man would take a hand to his wife and/or stepdaughter in such a vile way. And he’s a surgeon at Advent Health? His sorry ass should be terminated.
JimboXYZ says
And 4 years later, he’s starting off the holiday season like this. Not a good look.
Jim says
So this guy has already beat the system once and got off with no punishment. I wonder if it’ll happen again? He’s got money so he’ll hire an attorney (same one as last time, I expect) and they’ll drag out the case until it’s forgotten by most people and then he’ll get a similar closure for this.
I wonder how Advent feels about having a doctor with this guy’s background on their payroll? I can tell you that if he were my doctor, we’d be looking in the rear view mirror as I’d never see this guy again. And I’d make sure Advent knew why I refused to see him. I feel for those who work with him. He obviously is violent and has a temper. Who knows when he’ll snap at work and hurt his co-workers or patients? But since he’s a doctor, I guess we should all just give him the benefit of the doubt….
I’ve seen both his wife and daughter at their house and they are small people. Obviously Cascone is a tough guy who likes to beat up on women. What a man….
Attention Justice System – this is strike two on this dirt bag. I hope he doesn’t get a pass so he can go for a third strike. Next time maybe someone will get seriously hurt or killed. Is that how our system works???
Leila says
This repeat offender who clearly has many problems now and in previous years is a surgeon at Advent Hospital in Palm Coast. His neighbors will tell you that frightening is frequently heard.
PC talks says
I hope he gets what he deserves! The daughter shows more sense to know it’s not okay and call the cops. I hope he’s Dr license gets revoked, discusting individual.
Donna McGevna says
Far too often the Child becomes the Parent in these sad situations. The parent believes she is saving the marriage for the sake of the child, when in the fact the child is living a nightmare. That child actually fully committed to the arrest of the Man that so violently attacked both victims and it with the strength of this young lady that the wife will actually go through with charges pending. The worst case that Officers do want to deal with is Domestic Violence for these are the calls they do NOT know what they are facing. It is too many instances that the victims, Male or Female, the following day decide NOT to press charges. Sadly it is mostly out of fear of retaliation or the fact that the financial support is more powerful of how will the future look. We need the judges to be more advocates in all of these cases to be heavy handed in supporting all victims that they know the lawn enforcement has done everything in their power to bring them to safety; but they will be handed a safe and secure place to stay, an order of no contact and some means of financial stability.
I am so sorry for the family and I am so proud for the fortitude and mindset of the young lady who stood UP and stood PROUD in support of her Mom. Your life will go on and NO MAN will ever overpower you. You, my dear, are strong already in society. God Bless You!
TR says
I’m sure he will loose his license to practice medicine anywhere in the country. Well I hope he does anyway. I also hope Karma comes and bites him in the butt. What a dirt bag.
TR says
The first time should have been enough for a tougher sentence. That’s why I hate plea deals.
Leila says
Jim, I did tell Advent.
Bailey’s Mom says
Lock him up! Enough of this violence against women & children, our society needs to make sure these men are locked up!
Thank goodness the teenager was able to stand up and stay strong. We need a better system to help these women move on and protect them.
Flapharmtech says
I’m wishing that you’ve healed. You are so brave. I’ve met him. Such a shame, seemed so nice. Now the truth is out, and out he goes…to the trash.
Kristen says
I am so sorry. I am a DV victim as well and the system is set up to silence us even when we want to speak up. Flagler claims to be tough on DV- it is not. Police officers here in this county refused to arrest my attacker and their false report prevented me from seeing justice in court. It didn’t matter that their supervisor reviewed footage, apologized, amended the report, and submitted charges. Your story, and reading this one as well, infuriates me because of the horrific injustices that victims are faced to endure. If we are silent and endure the pain, lawyers can work their magic. If we say to hell with that- we must protect ourselves, our children, and other people that might become their victim, then we are shamed and silenced. It is a fact that women are less likely to have majority custody if DV is also alleged. The worst part is that most people turn away and there is nowhere safe to voice the pain and agony of sharing a child or children with a dangerous person. People love to say- didn’t you know? Why have children with them? As if people don’t change over time or become a monster when faced with the possibility of divorce. I hope you continue to both heal and speak up. You aren’t alone
Tamara Ashley says
My dear Kristen, I felt every injustice you suffered. I just sent this to another person, but quite honestly, it was meant for you.
“You’re so kind to respond. Let me go backwards from here. This has been my email address and that quote from much ado has been my signature for over 25 years…making my last few years with this monster seem very much like foreshadowing from long ago. I understand the importance of maintaining the relationships of the family members, despite the deplorable conditions inflicted upon the most innocent. My issues and complete dismay come from the level of violence displayed in each separate event and the lack of common sense in the need for protection, not reconciliation, for a child too young to understand. John cascone beat me so severely he caused 4 subdural hematomas and 2 brain surgeries. My 5 yo daughter watched him drag me by my hair across the house to the bedroom where he locked the door and proceeded to strangle and beat me for the next 2 hours. Her pain, by far, is my worst pain. She even testified to the abuse, but of course, they don’t take 5yo testimony. I was hospitalized multiple time for seizures, hospital acquired tuberculosis, MRSA and C-diff. I am thankful to be alive and after years of recovery, I can independently care for my 9yo daughter. I will say, sadly, due to the reports in the media his comments that night were publicized on TV and in the news where he lied, saying I was an alcoholic, drug abuser and psychological mess. They widely reported this until 1 day later when he was arrested due to the MD reports from Shands showing all the bruises and injuries that confirmed the abuse. A little too late for me to recover my dignity and respect. So I quietly dissolved into the reclusive silence to stop any further pain and embarrassment. At court, 200+ people sat on his side, doctors, nurses, administrators, people that used to be my friends too. On my side, my mother, 2 sisters and crisis counselors from the family life center. And for the next 6mo I worked at helping my little girl adjust to life without her father until he was unjustly granted custody, 50/50.
Fast forward to today, 4 yrs later, and he has beaten his new wife and pepper sprayed her 15yo daughter. And here I am, consoling my baby AGAIN as she is ruined by the destruction of yet another family, due to her fathers insanity. You mentioned that the court tries to maintain family relationships…do you still think that’s a good idea? Are we going to do this to my baby again? Do we think he won’t ever beat up another woman or child? What if my baby was there that night and she tried to get in the middle of the fight? Would I be trying to help her get through the aftermath or would I be at her funeral? And CPS wants me to hand her over to him after what he did. Hand my child over to a man that is on the fast track to being a killer. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t add up, it doesn’t pass the sniff test and this dedicated mother will be in Mexico before the legal system has a chance to get their heads out of their asses. CPS was off the charts against me after I called them for help to protect my daughter. Not only did they admonish me for picking her up from school before he got there, but then went to the school and told the principle that she better release my child to John when he comes to pick her up, without an issue. I’m sorry, but WTF? Just my thoughts, which I will mill over for the rest of my life. I am looking for someone to show me the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. I won’t hold my breath. Thank you for the banter.
-Tamara”
K G jones says
Tamara Ashley, I have heard about that doctor. He has been living in Georgia with his parents since he sold his house and now has a home of his own in Georgia. Florida law you have to tell court if you move. He doesnt think any laws apply to him. He thinks he will be free to do it again to sommeone else once this is over. Protect your little baby. The court should look at what he does.