Jonathan DeMartino, 37, faces four felony counts after a run of alleged property and other crimes, one of them injuring a woman in a Palm Coast Parkway hit-and-run.
Cops/Courts
13 Years in Prison For Matthew Nesbitt, Who’d Threatened Cops With a Knife in Z-Section Chase
The three-hour sentencing hearing devolved at times into a shouting match and disbelief over suggestions that cops should not be scared by a knife-wielding man.
At least 100 Pounds of Pot Wash Up on Hammock Shore, But No Finders Keepers as Man Is Arrested
A 61-year-old man was arrested in the Hammock Thursday for allegedly grabbing an 11-pound brick of pot that had washed up on shore.
Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley’s Victim of Alleged Battery Wants Case Dropped
The alleged victim in the battery case against Flagler Beach business owner and Commissioner Eric Cooley cites media and social media “stalking” among reasons she wants the case dropped.
Nicholas Urban, 18, Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot; Matanzas High Community’s 6th Suicide in 5 Years
Nicholas D’Artagnan Urban, 18, was found at his home in Palm Coast’s Hammock Wednesday. He had graduated Matanzas High last December. His death is the 8th violent death involving the Matanzas High community since 2013.
Palm Coast’s Sam Andolina, 39, Accused of Raping Fiancée’s 13-Year-Old Daughter
Sam Andolina, 39, faces rape and molestation charges following an incident he claims to authorities was initiated by the alleged victim. He’s being held on $150,000 bond.
Keith Johansen, Accused of Murdering His Wife, May Not be Competent to Stand Trial
Keith Johansen is accused of murdering his wife, Brandi Cleneza, 25, at their F-Section home in April. Authorities have seized a notebook he kept that they say may be revealing.
For 2nd Time in 3 Weeks Man Pulls a Gun on Flagler Deputies, But No Arrest This Time
Flagler deputies were checking on a 33-year-old man who had been reported to be suicidal (possibly falsely). He came out of his house pointing a gun at the deputies.
Supreme Court Excoriates Ex-Flagler Judge DuPont, Citing Manufactured Facts, Disrespect and Blatant Disregard for Rules
The decision amounts to a brutal condemnation of Scott DuPont’s behavior by the state’s highest court and a signal to other prospective judges that zero tolerance applies with regards to violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
Crashed Hydrant in Bunnell Cuts Off Water Citywide, Shutting Down Courthouse
A car crash against a hydrant caused the water pressure to fall and shut down service citywide in Bunnell in late morning. It was not expected to be restored until 5 p.m.
Sheriff Investigating Death of Samantha Brewer, 30, in R-Section as Overdose Claims Another Life
Samantha Brewer had called a friend over from the C-Section. He was in the bathroom 4 minutes, when he returned, Brewer was unresponsive from an overdose.
Racist and Bullying Behavior Leads to Firing, Retirement and Transfer of 3 Veteran Flagler Sheriff’s Deputies
Following internal investigations, Deputy Jon Freshcorn, Sgt. John Bray and Cmdr. Brian Pasquariello were all subject to discipline following a breakdown in professional conduct at the courthouse.
68-Year-Old Man Jokes About Tossing Grenade at Walmart Employees, Faces 2nd Degree Felony
William Rudd, a resident of Peppercorn Lane in Palm Coast, faces a second-degree felony after joking he could toss a grenade at a group of Walmart employees.
3 Hospitalized in Latest Crash at Notorious Old Dixie-US 1 Intersection at White Eagle Lounge
Two women and a man were hospitalized late Tuesday afternoon after the latest crash at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway, by the White Eagle Lounge.
DUI Manslaughter Charge for David Zlokas in Death of Gary St. Peter in A1A Crash;
Bar Named in Lawsuit
David Zlokas and Gary St. Peter had just left Uncaged Tasting Room, the bar in the Hammock, when they crashed and St. Peter was killed. Zlokas faces criminal and civil actions.
Dottye Benton, Owner of Dangerous Dog Cooper, Faces Felony Charge Following 3rd Bite
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office filed the charge that Palm Coast Animal Control asked for, citing owner Dottye Benton’s pattern of neglect and dissimulation.
Sheriff Asks For Semi-Permanent Solution Away From Comatose Building As Issue May Linger Up To a Year
In a workshop initially mean to to hear the latest analysis of previous air testing, Sheriff Staly asked county government to work out a semi-permanent solution to his staff’s evacuation from the troubled Operations Center.
Palm Coast Builds Path Where Michelle Taylor, 16, Was Killed; To Her Father, It’s “7 Years Too Late”
Michelle Taylor, 16, was walking along Lakeview Boulevard in 2017 when she killed by a car. Her father is angry at a city that had been ‘putting frickin’ umbrellas over monkey bars’ instead of building paths and putting up lights.
Flagler Jail Sends ‘Inmate Work Crew’ Around Town, and Gets Paid GED Instructor
A black-and-white-striped Flagler County jail work crew will start duties around the community, and the jail is getting a GED instructor for nearly 30 hours a week.
Low, $500 Bond For Sex Offender’s Re-Arrest Raises Sheriff’s Eyebrows–and Unravels
Bleak Case Through Court Maze
Tavares Calloway was 21 when he was charged with the statutory rape of a 15-year-old girl. Probation violations landed him in prison for 3 years. He’s been rearrested again on a violation weeks after his release.
Flagler Beach Commissioner Kim Carney Sued For Invasion of Privacy and Negligence
By Rape Victim
A lawsuit claims Kim Carney intentionally sought to publicly reveal the name of a rape victim and discredit her. Carney counters that she didn’t do anything illegal.
Palm Coast Woman Faces 3 Aggravated Animal Cruelty Charges Over Dogs Abandoned 16 Days
Rochely Ann Lopez-Colon, 25, was arrested after the three dogs were found in an R-Section back-porch, emaciated down to their bones, covered in fleas, amid feces, without food or water for more than two weeks.
Last of 8 Fugitives Wanted for Notorious Pot Farm Robbery in Oregon Is Caught in Palm Coast
Jody Deville Reynolds, 35, was wanted in the December 2016 robbery of a marijuana farm in Oregon, and had been staying with his girlfriend when Flagler Sheriff’s deputies and other cops converged on him Friday morning.
Palm Coast Manager’s Power-Play Mucks Up Donation of Truck to FPC’s Fire Academy, Ignoring County’s Role
What should have been a feel-good donation of a fire engine to FPC’s popular Fire Academy turned into a turf war after Palm Coast Manager Jim Landon ignored the county fire department’s role in the academy.
Man, 79, Turns Himself In at Flagler Jail on Scam Warrant. It’s 6 Hours Before Deputies Figure It Out and Release Him.
Alphonso Perry was made to wait for 2 hours in a lobby and 4 hours in a holding cell before detention deputies got to his file and figured out he did not belong at the county jail.
New Review ‘Rejects’ Report Finding Sheriff’s Building Safe But Also Lays Out Steps To Re-Occupancy
Sheriff Rick Staly asked retired scientist Robert Sweeney to review previous reports on mold testing at the Operations Center, judge the work’s quality and make recommendations.
Supreme Court Clears Release of Parkland Massacre Videos School Board Sought to Block
The order sides with a coalition of news organizations and ordered the release of footage from the afternoon of Feb. 14, when 17 people were killed at the school.
Jesse Fisher, 19, Adds to Long Criminal Record With Arrest Over Threats to Kill
Jesse Fisher faces a second-degree felony allegedly texting a death threat to a teen girl and additional felonies for violating his probation and house arrest.
Matanzas High Launches Law and Justice Flagship, Giving Students Bridge to Cop and Legal Careers
For Matanzas, whose students often toil in the shadow of FPC, the Law and Justice flagship may right the balance with a program of equal standing with FPC’s fire academy.
Sheriff Says If It’s Up To Him, ‘I Will Be Advocating That We Never Reoccupy The Operations Center’
Sheriff Rick Staly made the startling statement in response to Commission Chairman Greg Hansen saying the decision to reoccupy will be left entirely up to Staly. But Hansen was speaking out of turn.
Felony Child Abuse and Battery on Cop Charges for Father Upset His Daughter Was Taking Video of Argument
Brian Dobis, a 61-year-old resident of East Lake Drive in Palm Coast, faces three felony charges, including child abuse and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
Sheriff Lashes Into County Administrator Over “Disregard” of Security Protocols in
Operations Center
Sheriff Rick Staly is blaming County Administrator Craig Coffey for potentially jeopardizing the sheriff’s crime-fighting by improperly sending cleaning crews through secured areas of the evacuated Operations Center.
At Buddy Taylor Middle, Dress-Code Violation Escalates to Arrest Over Threats of Suicide and School Shooting
The arrest of a 15-year-old student at Buddy Taylor Middle School Thursday is the year’s first instance of a student allegedly threatening an attack on fellow students, faculty–and herself.
Suspect Pulls Gun on Deputy Duenas, Who For 2nd Time in 9 Months Shows Grit and Restraint
Flagler Sheriff’s deputy Jonathon Duenas Wednesday evening was confronted with a man with a gun and immediately disarmed him, the second time in nine months Duenas faced a deadly situation he defused without harm.
In Two Days in Flagler, Two Overdoses, Three Incidents With Opioids, One Involving a 1-Year-Old
A 48-hour period in Flagler and Palm Coast saw the varied aspects of opioids’ effects–in overdoses, in arrests, in court–pointing to signs of an epidemic’s spread.
Deputies Halt Burglary on Palm Coast’s Riverina Drive and Find 3 Teens
Two girls (15 and 16), one of whom lives in the area and one who’d been reported missing, and an 18-year-old from Daytona Beach were reportedly involved in the burglary.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping Step-Daughters For Years, and Molesting Their Friend
Gabriel Pardo, a 36-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s F Section, is accused of raping his own step-daughters over several years and molesting one of their friends.
Three Teens Arrested In Connection With Burglary Spree in Palm Coast’s R-Section
The teens–19, 18 and 16–had attempted to burglarize six vehicles and been successful entering one of them, seizing a wallet, when a deputy spotted two of them on Rymfire Drive.
Kay Jewelers in Palm Coast’s Target Shopping Center Is Robbed, Search Ongoing
Kay Jewelers in Palm Coast’s Town Center was the target of a robbery this evening. The assailants are at large. No injuries were reported. The robbery was reported at around 7:45 p.m. According to Anna Hackett, a Flagler County Sheriff’s spokesperson, two black males who appeared to be in their early 20s entered the store […]
Residents Largely Opposed, But Construction For 2 Roundabouts on US 1 Slated For 2019
State officials unveiled plans Thursday for a $2.2 million roundabout at Matanzas Woods Parkway and U.S. 1, with construction starting next summer. Another roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway begins construction sooner.
Chris Lawhon, 30, Is Found Dead Along Biking Trail in the Hammock
Christopher Lee Lawhon, 30, last of 48 North Coral Reef Court in Palm Coast, was found dead by a biker on the Hammock trail the evening of Aug. 6. No foul play is suspected.
Spurred By Latest Dubious Shooting, Calls For Stand Your Ground Repeal Hit Capitol
The July 19 shooting death of Markeis McGlockton, with his three young children nearby at a Circle K in Pinellas County is prompting the latest calls to repeal the 2005 law.
CDC Experts Will Examine Sheriff’s Operations Center and Meet With Employees
After three weeks of seeming inaction on the troubled Sheriff’s Operations Center, the county has agreed to a two-day site visit from CDC experts in occupational safety and health issues.
Bomb Threat Briefly Interrupts Evening Shift at Palm Coast Data
A bomb scare briefly interrupted the evening shift Monday Palm Coast Data as employees from the building that contains the company’s call center were evacuated.
New Back To School Normal For Flagler School Employees: How To Deal With a Mass Killer
The Flagler Auditorium today filled with 1,000 faculty members for “active shooter” or “incident survival” training through a vivid, disquieting presentation by Sheriff’s officials.
State Attorney Files Battery Charge On Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley, Ending Speculation
The State Attorney filed the battery charge on Commissioner Eric Cooley on allegations he struck the woman he lived with and worked with at Flagler Beach’s 7-Eleven.
Sheriff Staly and 2 Deputies Pull Guns on Suspects at End of I-95 Chase That Reached 100 MPH
Tavarius Stokes, 23, had allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of his child in Bunnell and was wanted on a warrant when Sheriff Rick Staly joined the chase and was part of apprehending Stokes and another man today.
County Employee Faces Termination After Accessing Judges’ Secure Area To Complain About His Case
Gerald Pikaard, a 61-year-old trades worker, used his county-issued ID badge to access the chambers of County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens and her assistant to complain about his DUI case’s disposition.
Swip Swap Leads to Arrest of Palm Coast Woman in Hit-and-Run That Injured a Man
Joyce Ramirez, 57, previously convicted of a felon, had fled the scene of the crash because she had no insurance or a registered car. A Swip Swap user helped identify her.
A Body Is Found in Intracoastal Search For Matthew Otis, 20, Who’d Disappeared Off a Boat on Sunday
Matthew Otis, 20, of Palm Coast, was lost in the Intracoastal around 6:30 Sunday evening as he and friends were boating and tubing on the water.