Last Updated: 7:26 p.m.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly described the man holed up inside the house at 94 Forsythe Lane in Palm Coast’s F-Section since early this morning as a “religious fanatic survivalist” who had earlier been causing a disturbance and assaulting law enforcement officers.
The man, Robert Shawn Detherow, 56, a county employee until 2021, has taunted Staly in a YouTube video to come and arrest him. He has “also alluded that he wanted to do suicide by cop,” Staly said. (Staly did not reveal the man’s identity when interviewed.)
He appears to have gotten his wish. Detherow was taken into custody shortly after 2 p.m., as was one other person.
The standoff involved the Flagler County Sheriff’s SWAT Team, its Crisis Negotiations Team, other units, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s bomb squad. Some of the surrounding houses have been evacuated. Staly, who is at the scene, said he expects a long standoff.
“Deputies responded to a neighbor’s call about a disturbance, loud music,” Staly said, “and the individual here had basically barricaded the road from access to the residents. They weren’t able to get to their homes, at least not easily, on Forsythe Lane. Deputies got there, he was less than cooperative, and threw beer bottles at deputies, narrowly missing a deputy. He’s pretty much baricated himself inside.”
The assault on deputies means Detherow will face a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
The bomb squad was requested because of all the debris the man had put in the road and around the house. The house itself features signs, some of them, according to neighbors, signaling hostility toward Staly specifically.
“I haven’t been close enough to read them but there are signs throughout the house,” Staly said, “and I know through our criminal intelligence unit, he started posting videos a few days ago wanting me arrested. I would describe him at this point as a religious fanatic survivalist.”
Authorities have not uncovered direct bodily threats toward the sheriff.
“We have asked the neighboring homes to vacate and I believe they all have except for maybe one that refused,” Staly said, “and the others we’ve asked a few homes away to just stay indoors and not come out.”
Detherow in a video posted three days ago, called “Come to my house and arrest me Rick Staley (sic),” said Staly and “every deputy on my lawn should have been in custody that day” over what Detherow said were Fourth Amendment violations. He appears to be referring to the arrest of his son in March on charges stemming from a fight his son had with two men. His son is still in jail.
Detherow said he told people about the alleged constitutional violation and “they all laughed.” He describes himself as a “truth-teller” who has been a “noble and honorable warrior for this country. I’ve never done anything dishonorable at all. But I know Rick Staly has.” He said he was “trying to save the whole Constitution” that day, and “it died.”
He then speaks as a survivalist, describing all the supplies he has amassed at his home. “I have everything but guns ’cause I don’t need them” he says in the video, saying all he needs is the King James Bible. He then alludes to being ready to die and meeting God before ranting about bathrooms in an allusion to transgender people. He also attacks churches and pastors.
“So tictoc guys, we’re going to decide whether America lives or dies, right now,” he says, before walking off. Four other videos also posted three days ago repeat similar themes.
Detherow was a land management specialist with Flagler County government from February 2020 to October 2021, when he resigned “due to a serious family crisis,” according to his resignation letter.
Using a robot to see inside the residence, a sheriff’s release states, deputies observed Detherow and another male, later identified as K.S., 23, on the couch. Smith exited the residence and was struck with a less lethal round when he did not comply with orders, knocking him down. Smith was then apprehended and advised that nobody besides himself and Detherow were in the residence. Detherow remained in the house and kicked the robot over, obscuring deputies’ view inside the residence. A short time later, Detherow exited the residence, actively resisting deputies as he was apprehended.
K.S. was arrested for Resisting an Officer without Violence. Detherow was arrested for Exposure of Sexual Organs, two counts of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting Law Enforcement without Violence, and Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. Both were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Seven firearms and ammunition were seized from the home, suggesting Detherow had been lying in the video when he said he had no guns.
The house is owned by Detherow and his wife–who he says has been in the hospital–who bought the property in 2017, not long after a property they were renting on Folcroft Lane in the F Section caught fire. An article about the fire described Detherow, 56, as a “former Marine, National Guard Reservist, MP and retired cop served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, earning the Navy Achievement medal, then served in deployment after deployment in Afghanistan, four in all, two years in Haiti, and on an anti-terrorism task force in Oklahoma before moving to Palm Coast several years ago.”
Hunter Detherow, 22, who lives at the same house, was arrested in March and remains at the Flagler County jail as of today on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a third-degree felony charge of battery. He allegedly had a fight with two men, including an alleged stabbing, over what the Sheriff’s Office at the time described as a religious disagreement. He has been held at the jail on $300,000 bond, an unusually high amount for those charges.
Forsythe Lane is currently closed from house number 68 to 95.
“This is going to be a long and protracted event and we’re hoping it’ll end peacefully, but the individual is refusing to communicate, which is never a good sign,” the sheriff had said earlier in the day, around the six-hour mark of the standoff. “He appears to be very angry at America.”
“I’m very proud of our team,” Staly said at the end of the eight-hour standoff. “Thankfully, we were able to resolve this situation without anyone getting hurt. It was a very long and hot day, with many deputies and our specialty equipment being used to deal with subjects who were not being compliant. This was a very dangerous situation for the deputies and his neighbors. I commend our deputies for the patience they displayed and their ability to deescalate the situation for a successful resolution. I also thank the neighbors that understood the dangerousness of the situation and voluntarily left their home or sheltered in place. I also thank the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their assistance. This man taunted me and FCSO to arrest him and we did.”
Me says
It is very sad that there are more mentally ill walking are streets and not being medically cared for in a hospital.
Joe D says
For Me:
Ever since Ronald Regan “de-institutionalized” the inpatient hospitals, the GOAL was for “Community” treatment….however, when the hospitals closed, the BUDGETS for those Community treatment programs, never really fully came through…then OR now.
Now…, you can only hold someone in an inpatient mental health hospital against their will, if they have 2 doctors’ signatures on reports that the patient has a mental illness, and they are a CURRENT danger to themselves or others.
Surprisingly, this current defendant in the police stand off may be on the thin legal line of danger to self (“suicide by cop” taunts?) / or danger to others?(?no gun/? no bomb/? did he TECHNICALLY threaten the police ….can’t tell from this article).
Just having a mental illness isn’t enough…gone are the days NOT LONG ago, where you could have someone committed to a mental institution, on the signature of one doctor…no proof of “danger to self or others” required…and unlike now, where you have to have your DANGEROUS level re-evaluated on a regularly scheduled basis…you USED to be able to be committed for the REST of your LIFE on that first MD “certification.”
The defendant will likely be held over for a psychiatric evaluation by the judge…then the reports will be presented to a judge at a later hearing. At that time they will set a trial date (or not, if he’s determined NOT COMPETENT to stand trial). Here we go…AGAIN.
JOE D says
Wow….I guess you can find disgruntled extremists everywhere…not just in rural compounds.
Luckily no one was seriously injured….it could have gone so much worse.
Clearly there are some Mental Health issues affecting the suspect’s behavior. He said he didn’t NEED guns, to accomplish his PLAN….IMAGINE if he HAD firearms in the mix ( given Florida’s lax gun purchase laws)….things could have gone VERY differently.
The Sheriff and Deputies showed RESTRAINT, rather than just making a SWAT type assault, which could have resulted in injuries or worse on both sides
David S. says
The guy has some serious mental issues. The first thing I thought is he a Trump supporter…
Local double taxpayer says
Why? Why even bring politics into this.? He may be right. The whole government is crooked and everybody knows it just nobody has the balls to say it out loud. Because he did now he’s in jail. Just further proves his point.
Endless Dark Money says
I agree the system is corrupt, but both sides arent equal. One side is running a convicted felon for their leader. .Same one that declared victory and claimed voter fraud without evidence when he lost last time. republicans have mental issues they want a dictator since they cant win on policy.
God Himself says
So ypu are MAGA yourself.No,the whole government is not corrupt. You are brainwashed. You are a puppet.
JC says
Are you on drugs?
Kt says
He probably has PTSD and could use some treatment. He’s obviously been and seen more than anyone could imagine. Got to learn to leave the authorities alone and chill out bro. He didn’t threaten anyone else with verbal physical threats is key from what I’m reading here and I can’t form any other opions based on his one video shown here. I could form an opions if I was able to see the other 4 videos. He seems stressed out to the core and with our President on trial and all the other crazy politics going on on our country, he is upset obviously. Triggers happening here. Again, key point I read is he isn’t physically threatening anyone. But maybe depressed.
JPK says
@KT: “… our President on trial …” You are as delusional as Robert Detherow.
BallardBoy says
I don’t think his anxiety and issues had anything to do with Mr. Trump being on trial. The article stated that he was upset with the Sheriff when he said on a video “referring to the arrest of his son in March on charges stemming from a fight his son had with two men. His son is still in jail.” Although I will agree that he probably does have one of them red hats in his house.
p says
his military record you wrote about is bs, also as a cop he faked an injury so he could retire after robbing several individuals in CA in fear of being hurt by the criminals. Get the facts straight, this guy is a con man.
Unknown says
Baker Act seems more appropriate. Why wasn’t he just Baker Acted? He should be getting treatment not jail time in my opinion
Me says
Baker Act doesn’t solve the mental illness, they do that for a couple days and then the person goes back to their residence. That does not professional help the person that needs a lot more time and help not just a couple of days. Baker Act is just like putting a band aide on without putting an antibiotic on first.
Zooco says
He made out better than Troy Gordon did. https://flaglerlive.com/troy-gordon-shooting/#gsc.tab=0
Pogo says
@Someone’s idea of an audition for the Flagler County School Board
…he’s the one to beat if Ron and Don see this.
Skibum says
I’m glad to hear this incident was resolved without any injuries to law enforcement. I’ve had my share of dealings with people I would describe as wingnuts during my law enforcement career, so I know these types of calls are always unpredictable and sometimes take some time to deal with. Kudos to the neighbors who listened to requests from the deputies on scene, and to all of the involved deputies for a job well done.
Autumn says
This man is not an “extremist” and was unjustly arrested. Everyone blindly siding with the authorities on this one is grossly misled. Its obvious the police acted irrationally bc staly was personally offended by his youtube video. Sheriff needs to grow up and act his age. And the police working under him need to check this irrationality.
Bringing a bomb squad over debris is extremely blown out of proportion. Sending a robot into his house is violation of the fourth amendment. The only complaint of reasonable cause was a noise ordinance and some debris, neither of which call for a BOMB SQUAD. This is an unjust abuse of power. Staly clearly took his video personally.
Crystal Lang says
It is so true we have the BEST Sheriff and Deputies. My husband and I were driving over the 95 bridge and saw the Sheriff’s trailer hauling the dingo and the large metal equipment exiting 95. It’s the first time I saw anything like that I knew there was an issue on that street but had no idea the equipment the situation required that is very scary.
@David S – No matter what the issue is with this guy, mental or not it was a serious situation that had nothing absolutely nothing to do with politics and the first thing you thought of was “He is a Trump supporter”. Man, I think y0u got some issues bringing politics into a serious situation like this. SMH.
Joey says
I guess he didn’t sign up for trumpcare !!!
dave says
So glad this all ended without anyone hurt., Sounds like he is a perfect candidate for a little stay in a Fla Mental Hospital and get some needed help. .