- April 28, 2024
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A 26-year-old man applying to be a Flagler Sheriff's Office deputy died on Monday, Feb. 12 during a physical portion of the application process.
Austin Ross was taking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's physical abilities test when, at 10:30 a.m., he began to feel light headed and fell over, according to the dispatch notes of the incident. He was still alert and conscious as a call was placed for medical, the notes said.
FCSO Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge confirmed Ross died and said his death was "very tragic and very sad." In a phone call with the Observer, Strobridge said that this was Ross' dream and, to honor that, Sheriff Rick Staly has decided to make Ross an honorary deputy.
"Because that was Ross' dream," Strobridge said.
According to his FCSO deputy application, Ross moved to Palm Coast in late 2020 and left his most recent job at Palm Coast Ford in January "...to find a career that is more in line with [his] morals and values."
The physical abilities test consists of eight parts that must be completed in six minutes and four seconds, according to FDLE guidelines on the test sent to the Observer from the FCSO.
Those eight parts are: exiting a vehicle/opening a trunk; running 220 yards; completing an obstacle course; dragging a 150-pound dummy; obstacle course; running 220 yards; dry firing a weapon six times with each hand; and placing items in a trunk/entering a vehicle.
Strobridge said he did not have a preliminary cause of death at this time, but added that Ross was about halfway through the test when he fell over.
He was taken to AdventHealth on State Road 100 and died at the hospital later in the afternoon, Strobridge said. FlaglerLive first reported Ross' death.
This is a developing story.
