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.
Cops/Courts
Facing Ultimatum from County Administrator, Petito Is Out as Flagler County Fire Chief After 15 Years
Employees have been aware of Petito’s departure since last week. County Administrator Jerry Cameron gave Petito an ultimatum: retire, resign or be fired. Petito chose to retire. He leaves a department in disarray.
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.
County Sells Long-Plagued Sheriff’s Building at $400,000 Loss, With Substantial Debt Remaining
The sale unloads a burdensome white elephant and political eyesore from the county’s inventory, if at a dear price, and preempts the need for the county to demolish the building and try to sell the property itself.
Judge Weighs How Far Marcy’s Law Protecting Victims May Go to Shield Cops’ Identities
The city of Tallahassee and media organizations on Monday tried to persuade a circuit judge that a 2018 constitutional amendment aimed at protecting victims’ rights does not allow police officers involved in use-of-force incidents to keep their identities secret.
Circuit Judge Rejects Challenge to Mask Mandate, Seeing No Constitutional Violation
A circuit judge Friday rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of a Leon County ordinance that requires people to wear face masks in businesses to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Department of Justice Awards FCSO $92,501 Grant for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention
The Department of Justice announced $2.2 million in grant funding to law enforcement agencies through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). Those funds will be distributed to 29 agencies with amounts ranging from $15,090 to $100,000.
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.
Sheriff Issues Desist Letter to Ex-COP Featuring Lynching Symbol and FCSO Patrol Car on Facebook
The man, whose Facebook page name is Scott van Ostran, was never a sheriff’s deputy, Sheriff Rick Staly said, but may have been a volunteer with the department’s C.O.P., or Citizens on Patrol, program several years ago.
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.
Behind Belle Terre Elementary Principal’s Resignation: Claims of Theft, Nepotism and Bullying
Details of the Flagler school district’s investigation into ex-Belle Terre Elementary Principal Terence Culver point to a series of incidents involving bullying, favoritism and irregular management of the PTA’s funds.
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.
Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito on Leave Pending Investigation of ‘Discrimination and Retaliation’ Complaint
Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito has had a rocky relationship with County Administrator Jerry Cameron since Hurricane Dorian last year and is now embroiled in serious employment matters.
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.
Sheriff Staly Calls Defunding Police ‘Knee Jerk’ as Study Calls for 70 More Flagler Deputies by 2025
If in Flagler, the school board, Palm Coast and the county are nowhere near defunding law enforcement, Sheriff Staly credits a policing approach focused on collaboration rather than confrontation.
Half the Car Crashes Under a Semi Truck on I-95, But Three Occupants Escape Major Injuries
A woman and two men escaped serious injuries after their car’s roof was sheared off and half the front end of the car ended up under a semi on I-95 Friday evening.
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.
Florida’s Police Union Wants Cops’ Identity Kept Secret Under Victims’ Rights Law
Keeping secret the identity of a police officer who shot a black crime suspect might seem anathema during a national time of reckoning about police brutality and racial disparity. But that’s what a Florida police union is seeking.
Palm Coast Considers Sharply Raising One-Time Fire Levies on Future Homes and Businesses
Homeowners would see a negligible impact on fees despite a proposed 65 percent increase in the one-time levy assessed on a new home, a cost generally folded into the price of that new home. The impact fee is not levied on existing homes.
Replacing Mullins, Sheriff Takes Leadership of Public Safety Council and Pledges More Focused, Productive Approach
Sheriff Rick Staly was elected chairman of the potentially powerful Public Safety Coordinating Council, which in the past couple of years had “wandered” away from its mission. The Family Life Center’s Trish Giaccone is vice chair.
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.
Flagler County Courthouse and Proceedings Reopen to the Public, With Limits
Starting at 8 Monday morning, most courthouse and court facilities in Flagler, Volusia, St., Johns and Putnam counties reopened to the public, in line with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s “Phase 2” reopening, but with several restrictions still in place.
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.
Tear-Gassing Protesters During An Infectious Outbreak ‘A Recipe For Disaster’
There are strong calls for police to stop using these chemical irritants because they can damage the body in ways that can spread the coronavirus and increase the severity of Covid-19.
Throngs Impassion Flagler Beach March Against Racism as Teach-In Forms Around Bullhorn
Flagler Beach’s late afternoon march Wednesday to protest the murder of George Floyd at police’s hands drew upwards of 300 people and briefly turned into a teach-in at Veterans Park.
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.
Flagler Sheriff Addresses Killing of George Floyd and Wednesday Protests in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach
“Policing should not be policing the community but instead it should be policing with the community, which is the model we use in Flagler County,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in the statement. Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland also issued a statement.
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.
Richard Dunn, Found Insane in Father’s Murder in 2006, Wants Unconditional Freedom Restored
Richard Dunn was 46 when he stabbed his 89-year-old father to death at their Palm Coast home in 2006. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and conditions on his release have progressively diminished over the last 14 years.
As Hurricane Season Begins on Top of Pandemic, Flagler Prepares for Battle on Two Fronts
Flagler County’s emergency and public health officials are preparing for an unprecedented battle on two fronts, with reconfigured shelters and rules but the same stress on compliance with evacuation orders if and when they’re issued, regardless of Covid-19 fears.
Protests Rage and Reactions Abound Over Killing of George Floyd, But DeSantis Maintains Silence
In Miami, squad cars were damaged and police fired tear gas at a crowd of protesters. In Tallahassee, the driver of a pickup truck plowed through a street packed with demonstrators, just blocks from the state Capitol building.
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.
5th District Court Affirms Convictions of Sex Offenders Shaun Whitt and Ex-Bunnell Cop Mike Stavris
In a trio of decisions today, the Fifth District Court of Appeal let stand convictions of Sean Whitt, who is serving a life term for raping an 11 year old, and Michael Stavris, who is serving 15 years on charges of felony child abuse, stalking and impersonating a child.
DeSantis Picks Jamaican-American Renatha Francis and Cuban-American John Couriel for Supreme Court
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday appointed John Couriel and Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme Court, choosing two justices expected to cement the court’s conservative majority for years to come.
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.
Flagler School District Builds Mosaic Honoring Decades of Graduates on Front Lines of Covid Pandemic
The district’s Jason Wheeler sought out graduates of FPC and Matanzas who’d gone on to fill health care and public safety jobs anywhere in the county, the state or the country, and honor them on the district’s Facebook page. There’s been some 200 responses, and counting.
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.