- December 12, 2025
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has suspended a detective without pay and suspended his use of an agency vehicle for unbecoming conduct following an internal investigation.
Detective Ardit Coma, who joined the FCSO in 2023, was arrested on Dec. 4 for fleeing a traffic stop and speeding. While criminal charges were ultimately dropped by the State Attorney's Office, the FCSO internal investigation found Coma violated two of its Standards of Conduct policies.
For the violations, Coma, 28, has been suspended without pay for two days, losing $851.48 in wages and benefits, and he loses the use of his agency vehicle for 90 days, the press release said. Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge said Coma accepted waived a formal disciplinary hearing, allowing for a quick resolution once the investigations were completed.
“Sheriff Staly believes in accountability and transparency, and Detective Coma accepted full responsibility for his actions,” Strobridge said.
At 7:44 a.m. on Dec. 4, an Ormond Beach Police Department officer attempted to pull over Coma, who was driving his unmarked agency vehicle at 88 mph in a 55 mph zone, according to the OBPD arrest report. Coma fled from the officer and later pulled over when the OBPD deployed stop sticks in his path North U.S. 1 and Pine Tree Drive.
Coma was on his way to work when the incident happened, according to the original FCSO press release. A second FCSO press release on Dec. 9 announced the SAO filed an order of no information in the case against Coma.
In the Dec. 9 press release, Staly stated he had personally reviewed Coma's arrest report and "was surprised that an arrest was made based on the lack of evidence showing he was intentionally trying to flee, while driving an agency vehicle." But Coma would "held accountable" for his actions.
OBPD Chief Jesse Godfrey, in a statement issued following the dropped charges, said, "the facts in the arrest report supported the [OBPD] Sergeant’s actions."
"We stand firmly behind our Sergeant. His actions were consistent with OBPD training and expectations, and the information available to him at the time fully supported the decisions he made," the statement said.
The FCSO's internal investigation found Coma violated its "Unbecoming Conduct" and "Operating Vehicles" policies. The first policy requires personnel conduct themselves "at all times, both on and off duty, in such manner as to reflect most favorable on the FCSO,” the press release said. The second policy states personnel "shall operate official vehicles in a careful and prudent manner and shall obey all laws and all agency orders pertaining to such operation.”
“Our employees are held to a higher standard than the average driver, which is why, on top of whatever a court determines the traffic infraction fine to be, he faced additional discipline by the agency to include a suspension and loss of his take-home vehicle privileges," Strobridge said in the press release. "His actions hurt the image of our agency and the trust people have in the men and women who work hard to serve and protect our citizens. It is my hope he will learn from his mistake and move forward solving crimes and seeking justice for victims.”
