The call to the Flagler County Sheriff’s non-emergency line sounded tragic, if unreal: a teenager’s mother had come into his room for no reason, and he’d shot her in the head with a shotgun. Innumerable resources had been mobilized by the time it became clear that it was a bogus call–swatting.
Flagler 911
15-Year-Old Shot at Unauthorized Event Attended by Hundreds at Bunnell Bar Saturday
A 15-year-old Flagler County resident was shot and wounded late Saturday night during an event attended by some 400 people, called “Bunnell Hood Affair” at The Place, a bar at 411 South State Street in Bunnell.
Lyft Rider Accused of Attacking and Spitting on Palm Coast Driver Was Upset By Covid-Protecting Partition
Travis Schriever Smith, 36, of Palm Coast faces criminal charges after allegedly ripping down a covid-protecting partition in a Lyft car, attacking the driver and spitting on him.
Sheriff’s Detectives Investigating Death of Jo Ann Heady, 22, of Palm Coast, at Econolodge
Jo Ann Elizabeth Heady, 22, of Palm Coast’s B Section, was found in a room at the Econolodge off Old Kings Road, possibly of a heroin overdose. The investigation is continuing.
Man Shot By Deputies After Pulling a Gun On Them Faces New Charges and Prison
Steve Barneski’s probation officer has recommended his probation on older charges be revoked and he be sent to prison, while he faces several new, second-degree felony charges that could send him to prison for many years.
2.7-Pound Brick of Cocaine Washes Up Before Family Vacationing in the Hammock
The cocaine brick washed up in the area of 505 Cinnamon Beach Lane, where a 54-year-old man vacationing locally with his family, from near Bradenton, found it bobbing in the surf.
Palm Coast’s Joshua Gabriel McHugh, 22, Dies in Suicide
Joshua Gabriel McHugh, a 22-year-old resident of 2 Sled Court in Palm Coast, was found dead of suicide on July 23 at his home, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
29 Year Old Man Visiting Palm Coast Accused of Sexually Assaulting Disabled Relative, a Minor
Jonathan Xavier Santiago, 29, a resident of Miami Gardens, is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old disabled family member while Santiago was visiting Palm Coast and staying with the family here.
Parents End Up Jailed Over Disciplining Two Children Battling Over Soda Can
A 42-year-old mother is facing felony child abuse charge and a charge of battery on the elderly, while her husband is facing a battery charge. The sheriff says domestic violence has been up since the pandemic.
Behind Mason Brown’s Death: Flagler Drug Court Loses One of Its Own for 3rd Time in 4 Years
Mason Dillon Brown, 28, found dead of an apparent overdose in a pond off Belle Terre Boulevard Thursday, had just been thrown out of a rehab program and was facing getting thrown out of drug court, the revocation of his probation and a prison term.
Man Found Dead in Lake Off Belle Terre Boulevard
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a man found in a lake or retention pond off Belle Terre Boulevard shortly after noon today.
Man Wanted For Carjacking at Palm Coast RaceTrac Arrested in Georgia for Home Invasion
Chad Langlois, a 40-year-old man with an unknown address, was arrested in southeast Georgia a day after he was charged with a carjacking in Palm Coast. He is being held without bond in more than half a dozen additional charges from a home invasion armed robbery in Georgia.
Felony Charges for Man Accused of Lurid Online Stalking and Impersonation of Ex
Cody Mitchell, 32, is accused of fabricating social media profiles involving his ex, his ex’s mother and his own daughter, resulting in unwanted visits, deliveries and other violations of the family’s privacy.
Flagler Beach Woman Faces Carjacking Charge Following Confrontation With Ex-Boyfriend
Kiana R. Grabowski, a 27-year-old resident of 2156 Flagler Avenue in Flagler Beach, faces a charge of carjacking with a deadly weapon and a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, following a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend the night of July 1.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Varnes Faces Felony Stalking Charge Over Racist and Violent Threats in Bizarre Case
Dedorius Varnes, 28, a Flagler deputy on the job two and a half years, was arrested after an investigation revealed he’d allegedly made more than 50 intimidating and racist phone calls to a 67-year-old man, threatening to rob him and beat him up.
From Shooters to Saviors: How Flagler Deputies Shot an Armed Man, Then Saved Him From Suicide
A 15-minute video from deputies’ body cams provides a remarkably vivid, startling look at the officer-involved shooting in Daytona North that left 30-year-old Steven Barneski in serious condition after being hit by several bullets, and how he was stopped from taking his own life.
Sheriff’s Investigation Finds No Criminal Wrongdoing in Death of Inmate Anthony Fennick
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office concluded no criminal wrongdoing surrounded the death of former inmate Anthony Fennick in February 2019 shortly after he was rushed to AdventHealth Palm Coast, seizing and unresponsive, and after complaining of high fever and developing an allergic rash for several days before that.
3 Flagler Deputies Shoot White Man in Mondex in First Officer-Involved Shooting in 8 Years
Three Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies fired and wounded a man who was a passenger in a car during a traffic stop in the Mondex, or Daytona North, just before midnight Wednesday in the first officer-involved shooting in the county since December 2012.
Palm Coast Parent Faces Numerous Charges of Raping His Pre-Teen Children
Brian Scott Wirth, a 39-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s R-Section, faces three capital charges and two first degree felony charges of rape and is being held on $875,000 bond at the Flagler County jail.
Driver Strikes 4 Cars Then Dahlia Restaurant in Flagler Beach, But No Serious Injuries
A woman sustained minor injuries after striking four vehicles and crashing into the front of Dahlia Restaurant, the popular Mexican restaurant near Publix in Flagler Beach early this evening.
Swimmer Feared Drowned: “Oh My God, I Feel Terrible, I Think They’re Talking About Me.”
The swimmer who’s apparent disappearance triggered an 18-hour search Wednesday into this morning emerged today after reading accounts of the search and and explained how his disappearance may have been misconstrued.
Palm Coast’s William R. Dalton, Combat Veteran Suffering of PTSD, Dies in Apparent Suicide
William Robert Dalton, a 29-year-old combat veteran and resident of Barrington Drive in Palm Coast, died of a self-inflicted gunshot Saturday, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
66-Year-Old Scientist Arrested on Charges of Drugging and Raping Runaway Juvenile Girls
George Arthur Proulx, 66, is accused of taking four girls ages 15 to 18, missing from Volusia County, to his Palm Coast house for sex after plying them with drugs. He was about to travel to Thailand when he was arrested.
Ex-Employee at Palm Coast Medical Practice Accused of Fraudulently Ordering Prescriptions
Renee Caruso-Izarry, 37, a former employee at Coastal Health Care Partners, a chiropractic clinic in Palm Coast and Volusia County, faces seven felony charges stemming from allegedly ordering prescriptions and practicing medicine without a license.
Man Found Hanging From a Tree Near Cracker Barrel, an Apparent Suicide
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation following the discovery early this morning of a white man who died by hanging off a tree behind Cracker Barrel restaurant in Palm Coast.
Just Out of Prison, Bunnell Man Is Arrested on Armed Burglary and 8 Other Charges After Cop Chase
Capers J. McClendon, 26, allegedly led law enforcement on a chase on U.S. 1 and State Road 100 in Bunnell after a woman accused him of seizing her minivan.
Sheriff Investigating Apparent Drowning of 18-Year-Old Man Who Washed Up at Varn Park
Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the death by apparent drowning of an 18-year-old man who washed up in the surf at Varn Park, just north of Beverly Beach, Monday afternoon.
Extensive, All Night Air-Ground Search Leads to Rescue of Kayaker Lost in Bulow Creek Marshes
An all-night search and rescue effort involving more than half a dozen public safety agencies led to the rescue of a 62-year-old Flagler Beach man who’d taken his kayak through the waters of Bulow Creek Thursday afternoon and gotten lost deep in its marshes.
A Confederate Flag Is Spray-Painted on a Gym Wall At Matanzas High School
The Confederate flag graffiti, left at Matanzas High School over the weekend, stands in aberration to the more civil and conciliatory atmosphere of the last few days in the county.
Woman Who Wanted Boyfriend Arrested Ends Up Facing Felony Charges of Violence on Officers
When sheriff’s deputies would not handcuff and arrest her boyfriend, Tawnya Trudeau, 52, allegedly turned on sheriff’s deputies with insults that resulted in a physical altercation.
In Palm Coast, More Fervor than Fury, More Solidarity than Rage in March for George Floyd
The first of two marches in Flagler County against racism and the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police drew upwards of 200 people in Palm Coast and unfolded peacefully through the heart of town.
Animal Cruelty Charge for 16 Year Old Filmed Beating Small Dog in Snapchat Clips
A 16-year-old Palm Coast boy captured on a pair of Snapchat clips repeatedly whipping a small, whimpering and yelping dog, was arrested at his B-Section home Monday and faces a felony charge of animal cruelty.
80-Year-Old Palm Coast Resident Feared Dead from Drowning in Flagler Beach
An 80-year-old Palm Coast resident was pulled from the water in Flagler Beach this morning, not breathing and without a pulse, authorities say.
FDLE Finds No Grounds for Criminal Investigation Into Allegations Involving Commissioner Joe Mullins
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement closed a 10-day investigation into what it termed “unverified information” about Commissioner Joe Mullins, finding no corroborating evidence of improprieties.
Palm Coast’s Crystal Clear Pool Owners Carlos and Romina Longo Arrested on 12 Counts of Fraud
Carlos Hernan Longo and his wife Romina Campanella De Longo, who together have owned Crystal Clear Pool of Central Florida since 2010, were arrested today and each charged on 11 counts of fraud and a count of organized scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony.
Sheriff’s Detectives Investigating Woman’s ‘Suspicious’ Fall from 2nd Floor at European Village
A 41-year-old resident of a second-floor apartment at European Village in Palm Coast fell from her balcony early Sunday morning. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
John Paul Runnells, 32, Found Dead of Overdose in His Car at Winn-Dixie Shopping Center
John Paul Runnells, 32, of Jupiter, was found unconscious in a Nissan Altima at the Winn-Dixie plaza off Palm Coast Parkway in what was later determined to have been an overdose death.
Flagler Declares County-Wide Burn Ban, Including Prohibition on Fireworks and Charcoal Grills
Flagler County is enacting a countywide burn ban, including in all cities, starting Saturday, as the drought index continues to rise and firefighters are being deployed on an increasing number of fires.
Joe Mullins Wanted Sheriff to Fix Speeding Ticket in 2017; He Invoked Staly’s Name in Traffic Stop Last Week
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said he refused to fix a speeding ticket for Commissioner Joe Mullins three years ago. Last week, Mullins invoked both his own name and Staly’s during a traffic stop in Palm Coast.
Alleged Arsonist Arrested for 2 Fires Near Publix and Citgo on Belle Terre Parkway
Daniel Da Costa, 26, of Palm Coast, faces two counts of arson and a count of manufacturing a fire bomb. He blamed an argument with his mother earlier that night as causing him to light the fires.
Thomas Walter Brown Jr., 59, Dies of Gunshot Suicide on CR 305’s Haw Creek Bridge
Thomas Walter Brown Jr., a 59-year-old resident of Jacksonville, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound fired as he stood by the railing along the Haw Creek bridge on County Road 305 Monday evening, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office reports.
14-Year-Old Girl Takes Deputies on High-Speed Chase Through Palm Coast’s P-Section
The 14-year-old girl was driving a Jeep Wrangler at high speed through the P Section, with a 15-year-old passenger, before stop sticks forced her to pull over. She was arrested.
Flagler Beach Faces Decision Over Golf Course as Terry McManus Turns Himself In Over Fraud Charge
The felony charge against Terry McManus raises questions for Flagler Beach government, which owns the golf course he manages, regarding the future of that relationship. The relationship has been rocky from the start.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping Girl, 16, Denies Having Sex With Her Despite DNA Evidence
Kwentel Lakelvrick Moultrie, 21, of Palm Coast, seemed to borrow the argument of another man on trial for having sex with a minor the week detectives interviewed Moultrie, claiming he never touched his 16-year-old victim.
Manhunt in Palm Coast’s E-Section After Man Pulls Gun on Wife and Son Over a Dog
Larry Briggene Batson, a 41-year-old resident of 31 Ebb Tide Drive in Palm Coast, had allegedly pulled a gun on his wife because she would not turn the car around so he could go fetch his dog.
500 Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Found in 46-Year-Old Palm Coast Man’s Tablet
The investigation reveals the extent to which law enforcement and at least some online platforms and internet service providers are cooperating with police to tip off, track down and facilitate investigations of individuals involved in child exploitation or abuse.
Terry McManus, Who Runs Flagler Beach’s City Golf Course, Wanted on Felony Insurance Fraud Charge
Terry McManus, the 54-year-old operator of Ocean Palms Golf Course, the Flagler Beach-owned 9-hole course, is accused of making up a bogus insurance claim and lying about a Caterpillar Skid Steer allegedly stolen at the golf course.
2 Suspects Face Felony Charges in BB Gun ‘Shooting Spree’ On I-95 in Palm Coast, Volusia and Jacksonville
Deon Jones, 21, and his girlfriend Tiyana Anderson, 22, are accused of shooting BB’s that shattered drivers’ vehicle windows and frightened them as they drove along I-4 and I-95 in Flagler, Duval and Volusia counties.
A Woman Disputing Social Distancing Rules at Local Clinic Clashes With Cop and Faces Felony Charges
It was an incident out of Covid-19’s unwritten playbook, escalating from a simple social-distancing request at the Florida Health Care Plans office off Palm Coast Parkway to a scuffle, a woman’s arrest and felony charges and an injury to a Flagler County Sheriff’s sergeant.
35-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Accused of Pushing His Daughter, 5, Off Her High Chair
Thomas Myers, of Blare Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony child abuse charge and two misdemeanor counts of assault and booked at the Flagler County jail on $4,500 bond.