James Tyler Melady, a 37-year-old resident of 100 Navigator Drive in Daytona Beach and former paramedic, was arrested and jailed in Volusia County early today on a charge of raping an unconscious woman in a Flagler County Fire Rescue ambulance during a service call in 2021.
Daytona Beach police were investigating a separate sex offense when they discovered two video clips allegedly depicting Melady “exposing and digitally penetrating the vagina of an obviously unconscious/incapacitated female victim within fingers/hand,” his arrest report states.
The video clips show Melady setting up the camera and moving it during the incident–as if to ensure the best angles–and “clearly depicted” his face as well as the fire department uniform he was wearing during an obvious call for service.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office investigated, located the particular call to which Melany had been assigned on Oct. 17, 2021, and noted that it was for an “unresponsive and intoxicated” woman in Flagler Beach who was transported by ambulance to AdventHealth Palm Coast. The woman subsequently recovered and identified herself in stills taken from the video clips. She told investigators that she had no recollection of the incident, as she had blacked out after drinking excessively.
Detectives interviewed Melady, a former Navy corpsman, “who confessed to his crimes and told detectives he retired from Flagler County Fire Rescue earlier this year,” according to a sheriff’s release issued this afternoon. Melady was known as “Jimmy.” The county feted him at the beginning of 2022 in a press release when he and a fellow-paramedic delivered a baby on New Year’s Eve, in Rescue 62.
The rape charge is a a first degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Melady was also charged with video voyeurism, a third-degree felony. He is being held at the Volusia Branch jail on $150,000 bond on the voyeurism charge and no bond on the rape charge.
“It’s unfathomable to me what this predator did to an unconscious victim while on duty while being entrusted to provide proper emergency medical care but instead sexually assault her,” Sheriff Rick Staly was quoted as saying. “It is likely there are other victims of his disgusting behavior.”
If you believe you may have been a victim of Melady or have information on this case or other victims, call the Flagler County Sheriff’s non-emergency line at 386-313-4911 or email [email protected].
Atwp says
What punishment will he receive? Probably very little to nothing.
BOB says
What a very sick human being. I hope he get life.
Disgusted in Flagler County says
This is one of the more sickening things I’ve seen in local news lately. He’s on camera doing this to an unconscious woman on her way to the hospital?????!!!!!! Jesus Christ, what else has he done and to who???? I hope he FKN fries. How disgusting.
Tired of Perverts says
Now it’s time to get all those perverted school teachers that are preying on young vulnerable girls too! Make this disgusting behavior stop by enforcing rules and tough law enforcement!!
Stop condoning this behavior! Stop brushing this under the rug! Prosecute!!