March 12 update–The Daytona Beach Police Departyment arrested Sean Monti the evening of March 10, at 8:30, at Main Street and Wild Olive Avenue, according to a police report. Monti was taken to the Volusia County Jail and booked there, and entered as “a criminal gang member,” according to the report. He was booked at the Flagler County Jail in early afternoon Wednesday, where he remains.
March 9–Sean Monti, a 40-year-old resident of Palm Coast, has spent half his adult life–11 years–in state prison, and longer when his jail time in Flagler and Volusia counties are included. He last served three years on drug and grand theft charges, and before that served eight years for armed burglary, assault, theft, and one conviction for escape. He was last in jail in Flagler last October, when he was charged with domestic violence battery, false imprisonment and tampering with a witness.
Sunday night, Flagler County Sheriff’s units prepared to serve a warrant for Monti’s arrest at 9 Squash Blossom Trail in Palm Coast, which is also his last recorded address in his jail log. But since he had a history of fleeing from law enforcement, units staged in the area of Seminole Woods Boulevard near Integra Woods before approaching the house.
Late Sunday night, the sheriff’s office called out its SWAT team, and units of the Palm Coast Fire Police closed some streets in the neighborhood, and told neighbors of the house at Number 9 to stay indoors.
Monti himself was spotted by a neighbor and by police briefly outside the house before going back in. But for all the measures taken, Monti somehow got away.
Monti was known to drive a black Chevrolet Camaro. While in the process of responding to the house, deputies spotted the Camaro at Squash Blossom Trail and Seminole Woods Boulevard and pulled over the driver. It was a woman and her children. There was still an active no-contact order between Monti and his girlfriend, from whom he was to remain at least 500 feet away, an incident report states. He had violated that order in late February, along with a violation of his pre-trial release agreement.
When deputies proceeded to the house, all lights were off. The woman in the Camaro opened the garage door and gave permission for the cops to enter the house “to verify that Sean was not within,” the report states. Before entering the home, Prior to entering the home, deputy Erik Pedersen, who was standing at the rear of the house, said he’d observed movement in the downstairs rear sliding door area and requested an additional unit. The deputy who responded said he saw Monti, identifying him positively because of previous contact, “attempting to exit the residence through a second story window at the rear of the home by pushing the screen out.”
The deputy gave verbal commands to Monti to show his hands. Monti refused and went back into the house. Another deputy issued further commands from the garage door to Monti to come out. Monti responded, and deputies identified his voice as Monti’s because of his history with local law enforcement. Two deputies “then began clearing the first floor of the residence and Sean then stopped speaking with us,” the report states. The deputies ordered Monti to come down the stairs with his hands in the air. Nothing happened.
A K-9 unit was called in, along with the SWAT team. SWAT members then completed a search of the two-level house, and found nothing.
It was past 2 a.m. when the fire police re-opened the neighborhood.
A burglary charge was added to Monty’s list of charges, and forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office. As of Monday, he remained at large.
orphan says
With all respect to the FCSO, I ask wtf happened?
You have the area secured and the house surrounded yet the suspect disappears? Come on!
And on a separate note, why in the (f-word) was he out of prison?
The liberals of our once fantastic country have almost completely destroyed our system of protection from criminals, and that in itself is criminal!
I’m reminded of a tv commercial always airing when I was growing up which depicted an American Indian with a tear running down his face as he witnessed the trashing of his once great land via litter. What we are witnessing right now is exactly the same! The liberal courts are completely trashing the United States of America!
There is a movie out there called “Two Soldiers”. In one scene the small brother of a soon-to-be soldier in WW2 is asked by his older brother why he won’t listen to him and go back home. The little guy says “It makes my heart hurt”, (meaning that leaving his older brother was not an acceptable solution for him).
My heart hurts also.
Anonymous says
First off i was never in that house the only reason they said i was is because they trashed my kids home four wholes the size of three basketballs in four rooms in the ceiling where they shot tear gas at an imagiarysuspect and why do you think suspect eluded police cause suspect is in California for the LAST two. Weeks so….and as far as letting me out i did my time for my charges for the stupid mistakes i made when i was. A kid you should think that the flagler police have better things to do then search. For me who has a warrant. For domestic battery where. There only witness denies me ever hitting HER..
seriously says
The whole Sheriff’s Department surrounding this guys house and throw in a K-9 unit and a SWAT Team and he still gets away? Seriously?????
Harry Houdini says
Did this guy pull the greatest “Three-card Monte” trick ever using himself or what?
Chief One Stone says
So, is he like Houdini ? Did he magically disappear. Maybe he’s a “shapeshifter”. You know there’s a lot them kind around Palm Coast. I saw one down in European Village that shapeshifted into Nancy Pelosi !!!
lop slop says
Go team
Michael says
How did you lose him in a house, just a very odd story
David S. says
This story is hard to believe ,I can see if this was 20 years ago .FSCO needs to look at themselves what a bunch of bs.
Anonymous says
Its hard to believe cause. I was never there
Barney Fife says says
More Training Please.
seriously says
No, they get plenty of training. Unfortunately its with a RADAR GUN and a TICKET BOOK.
Flagler Native says
“IF” he is still hiding in Seminole Woods I know exactly where he’d be. In the “dry lake” area 75 acres of pure nothingness, or across Seminole Woods blvd in the hunting camp area which feeds into Quail Hollow. If this guy knows this area AT ALL he can be long gone in 30 mins.
HonkeyDude says
Gota love it when the suspect writes in. Its funny but did you know that when people are scared they imagine things. Like lil kids and the bogey man. Booo!
Citizen says
Fcso is trying to cover their asses for destroying and raiding a home in which the so called seen suspect was not even there. How else would he escape a perimeter secured k9s etc. he says he’s in Cali no evidence he was in the house so fcso made a big mistake. I smell a lawsuit.
Ecortes says
Sean is a good guy and I do not believe a word of this story. The only reason they are,going after him is because of stuff from his long past that he has already paid his dues on. What a shame to break up his family. I know he would never hit his girlfriend.
Brad W says
This is very difficult to find believable. This guy was on the second story, they have the house surrounded, there’s a SWAT team, and he disappears? I don’t think our Sheriff’s department is being honest with the community at all.
Sad to say, our Sheriff’s department has really gone downhill.
Rightous says
Funny Mr. Monti that he is saying he is in Cali but was arrested in Volusia County yesterday.
JLaw says
I love how “anonymous” claims he was in California for the last two weeks, however, you were arrested in Volusia County the day after this incident. I think you’re the liar.
Neighbor says
So most of your arrests are as an adult (public record, hello) and you were totally there the night this all went down, and you totally beat the crap out of that poor woman because I can still hear the sounds of you hitting her and her screaming for help. You are not a nice guy and need to be locked up for good. Yes it is pretty disappointing that the SWAT team let you slip through their fingers but they will find you….
the truth says
the truth : we eyewitnessed this guy beat the crap out of his girlfriend in his garage while she was screaming for help, after a minute or so he dragged her inside and closed the garage door. the police were dispatched, and surveyed them for several minutes before they made their move. he tried to escape through the back but was apprehended. he has escaped from jail on his record, he tried to escape in October, and he successfully escaped the police this time, he is one slippery snake.
the truth: his boss bailed him out after beating up his girlfriend, when filling out our eye witness report, the police told us how they watched him hold down his girlfriend while telling her that he was going to kill her in front of her children. he sounds like a real stand up guy. for the record he was back living with her after this incident, and he was at the residence within the last 2 weeks.
the truth: I would like to know how he knows about the holes punched in the wall and the teargas, I would like to know why you can see the screen punched out from a second story window. I implore anyone who is following this to look at his record in both Volusia and Flagler counties, keep his record in mind ofwd his time served and his repeat offenses. I do hope that he is in California, he’s better off there than in our neighborhood. I do hope that the police bring him back to justice.