- February 2, 2026
A 911 caller whose actions saved a kidnapping victim from a registered sex offender’s grasp and employees whose actions helped save a man from jumping off an overpass, resulted in the arrest of three suspects charged with a total of 36 felonies, and helped locate and save the life of an unconscious but breathing Silver Alert subject are among those who were honored during the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s 2025 Fourth Quarter Awards Ceremony held on Jan. 29 at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center.
Sheriff Rick Staly awarded multiple Life-Saving Awards to employees for their roles in saving the lives of others. He also presented Unit Citations, Certificates of Commendation and Appreciation, and other awards to employees and citizens as part of the ceremony.
“I am honored to not only recognize our outstanding team members but also members of our community, including the 911 caller whose actions undoubtedly saved a kidnapping victim from the clutches of a registered sex offender,” said Sheriff Staly. “I am honored to be able to recognize these outstanding men and women who serve and protect the citizens of Flagler County. They exemplify the best of the best.”
Three employees received Employee of the Month recognition and two were recognized for reaching years of service milestones.
LIFE-SAVING AWARD – Cody Clark (Civilian)
On Dec. 31, 2025, the Flagler County Emergency Communications Center received a call from a concerned citizen, Cody Clark, regarding suspicious and unusual activity in a white Ford F250 that had children in it. The vehicle was subsequently located, and the investigation resulted in locating a kidnapped 11-year-old victim, leading to two arrests. Due to Clark’s vigilant observation of noticing suspicious activity, the child was brought to safety, and justice was ultimately delivered to the victim and their family.
LIFE-SAVING AWARD – Irvin Sandoval (Civilian)
On Nov. 15, 2025, numerous 911 calls were received regarding a subject leaning over the edge of the Matanzas Woods overpass of Interstate 95, directly over highway traffic. A passing motorist, Irvin Sandoval, pulled over, called 911, and attempted to stop the individual from jumping off the overpass. When Sandoval walked up to the individual, he noticed they were holding a knife close to their side. Deputies arrived on the scene and witnessed Sandoval wrestling the weapon out of the individual's hand. The individual was placed into protective custody under a Baker Act and transported to the hospital.
LIFE-SAVING AWARD – Deputies Kaleem Chohan and Kyle Manka; Public Safety Telecommunicator Stephanie Mayberry (Flagler County Emergency Communications Center)
On Nov. 22, 2025, a female called 911 due to an adult male not breathing at the residence. Deputies responded to the scene while Public Safety Telecommunicator Stephanie Mayberry provided CPR instructions over the phone. Upon arrival, they administered their department-issued Narcan to the patient and continued CPR until the adult male regained consciousness.
LIFE-SAVING AWARD – Deputies Kailen Jackson, Ashley Jacques, Austin Miller, and Cameron Punsky
On Dec. 14, 2025, the Flagler County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a female who passed out and was turning blue. As deputies responded, the public safety telecommunicator provided CPR instructions to the caller. When deputies arrived, they discovered the female lying on the ground, unresponsive.
Deputies continued lifesaving efforts using CPR and deployed Narcan and AED pads until paramedics arrived. The female was transported to AdventHealth, and she is expected to make a full recovery.
LIFE-SAVING AWARD – Corporal Craig Rossi; Deputies Kyle Manka and Brendon Torres
On Dec. 22, 2025, deputies responded to a CPR in progress emergency in Palm Coast. Upon arrival, the deputies observed a critical situation and immediately performed CPR, provided ventilation via pocket masks, and successfully deployed an AED, delivering one shock. Upon the arrival of Flagler County Fire Rescue, the patient regained a pulse on the scene and was transported to the local hospital for further treatment.
LIFE-SAVING AWARD – Deputy First Class Shayna Favorite; Deputy Jeremiah Velazquez
On Dec. 24, 2025, a Flagler County public safety telecommunicator received a call regarding a possible fentanyl overdose. Deputy First Class Shayna Favorite and Deputy Jeremiah Velazquez arrived on the scene within seconds of the call being dispatched and administered their agency-issued Narcan. The subject was treated by medical personnel on scene and made a full recovery after declining transport to the hospital.
UNIT CITATION – Deputy First Class Jennifer Prevatt; Detective Joseph Costello and Detective Shannon Smith; Deputies Zackary Guinnup and Matthew Hirschi; Real Time Crime Center Specialist Taylor Cousin
On Aug. 29, 2025, 17 burglaries were reported overnight across western Flagler County, resulting in the theft of five handguns. Deputies from the Community Policing Division were able to obtain video evidence and develop a suspect vehicle. Real Time Crime Center Specialist Taylor Cousin determined that the suspects stopped at a RaceTrac gas station in St. Johns County prior to returning home.
Detectives Joseph Costello and Shannon Smith in the General Assignment Unit followed up with RaceTrac and were able to obtain surveillance footage identifying the vehicle’s occupants. Shortly after, they coordinated with the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office to conduct interviews that led to admissions that resulted in the arrest of three suspects. The teamwork and dedication resulted in three suspects being charged with a total of 36 felonies, including one juvenile who is being charged as an adult.
UNIT CITATION – Commander Scott Vedder; Sergeants Samuel Bell and Troy Van Pelt; Detention Sergeant Timothy Abruzzo; Corporals Andrew Cangialosi, Brandon Fiveash, and William Lowe; Master Detective Omar Ocampo; Deputy First Class Branden Hartley; Training Coordinator Beth Doyle
On Oct. 16, 2025, a retired law enforcement officer accidentally shot himself in the leg during the HR218 firearms qualification. Detention Sergeant Timothy Abruzzo was able to safely secure the retiree’s firearm and help him sit on the ground to render first aid. Firearms instructors applied a tourniquet immediately, Flagler County Fire Rescue was contacted, and the injured subject was quickly evaluated. Multiple employees continued providing aid and kept the retiree alert during the transport to the landing zone.
UNIT CITATION – Commander Ryan Emery; Detective Corporal Seth Green; Deputies Chandler Anderson, Evan Bishop, Zackary Guinup, Kyle Jensen, Kayleigh Perkins, and Jonathan Schmidt; Lieutenant Jesse Hunter and Firefighter/EMT Andrew Wheeler (Flagler County Fire Rescue); Paramedic Sean McBride and Firefighter/EMT Cole DiPatre (Palm Coast Fire Department); and Jack Pamer (Civilian)
On Dec. 19, 2025, civilian Jack Pamer located a vehicle associated with a Silver Alert abandoned in a hunting club on the northwest side of the county. Upon arrival, Detective Corporal Seth Green, Deputy Kayleigh Perkins, and Commander Ryan Emery found an unoccupied vehicle and began to search on foot for the subject while waiting for additional resources. Detective Corporal Green located the unconscious but breathing subject clinging to life in a wooded area approximately 50 yards from his vehicle. Due to difficult terrain, deputies Kyle Jensen, Zackary Guinup, Jonathan Schmidt, and Evan Bishop carried the male back to the vehicle and transported him for treatment by the Flagler County Fire Department and Palm Coast Fire Department. He was later airlifted to Halifax Hospital. The patient underwent medical treatment and was expected to make a full recovery.
Members of Delta Squad, Foxtrot Squad, PACE, Flagler County Fire Rescue, and the Palm Coast Fire Department worked together to transport the man to safety, undoubtedly saving his life.
UNIT CITATION – Detective Sergeant George Hristakopoulos; Sergeants Carmine Celico, Paul DeSousa, and Trevor Jacob; Detective Corporal Michael Breckwoldt; Corporal Brad Stogdon; Detective First Class Stacy Kusek; Detectives Nicole Marsan and Hayleigh Prentiss; Deputies Christopher Alecrim, Austin Dalrymple, Nathaniel Drew, Jorge Fernandez de Lara, Tyler Harmon, Kailen Jackson, Ashley Jacques, Troy Magnuson, Jacqulyn Medina, Austin Miller, and Cameron Punsky; Real Time Crime Center Specialist Victoria Hanlin; Crime Scene Investigators Caitlin Butler and Mirey Centeno-Negron; Public Safety Telecommunicator Supervisor Lisa Nesbitt, PST Lead Laine Rittenour, PST II Lucas Santos and Angelica Quiroga-Joya, PST I Megan Flores and Crystal Long (Flagler County Emergency Communications Center)
On Nov. 16, 2025, deputies responded to Flagler Beach Village with reference to a disturbance with weapons. One subject was contacted in front of the nearby 7-Eleven, with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. The second subject was contacted within an apartment of Flagler Beach Village, with an apparent gunshot wound to the leg. Deputies responded, rendered aid, and secured both scenes for emergency medical services. Major Case Unit detectives responded to the investigation, and an arrest warrant was obtained for the suspect involved.
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION – Deputies First Class Thomas Douglas and Jordan Taylor
On Sept. 5, 2025, Deputy First Class Taylor and Deputy First Class Douglas were alerted to a student that was possibly in possession of a firearm. An administrative search was conducted on the suspect, but no firearms were located, and the suspect denied ever possessing a firearm. Deputies First Class Taylor and Douglas continued the investigation and were able to locate another witness who advised there were social media posts confirming the reporting person’s story. When confronted, the suspect confessed, and patrol units secured the firearm as evidence. Deputy First Class Douglas also was able to identify that the firearm was obtained during several car breaks in the E-Section of Palm Coast in June 2025.
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION – Detective Lauren Broomfield
In late 2024, Detective Lauren Broomfield was already managing a full Major Case Unit caseload with multiple high-profile investigations when she was assigned to assist the newly formed Intelligence and Cyber Crimes Unit with a backlog of Internet Crimes Against Children cases. She formally inherited 18 open ICAC investigations that had gone unresolved for an extended period. Despite the challenges and the ages of these cases, Detective Broomfield conducted a thorough review of each one while continuing to handle her own demanding caseload. During this same time, she also took on the additional role of Sex Offender Detective for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and served as one of the Major Case Unit’s trainers for new detectives. By October 2025, she had made significant progress, securing arrest warrants in two ICAC cases involving child predators from Ohio and California targeting victims in Flagler County.
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION – Detention Deputy Alyssa DeMarco-Wall
On Nov. 29, 2025, Detention Deputy DeMarco-Wall conducted a thorough search of a female inmate concealing contraband and was able to recover 25.5 units of illegal substances. Due to her attention to detail, she was able to prevent a deadly substance from entering the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, potentially saving lives and creating a positive outcome.
CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION – Citizen Observer Patrol Sergeant George Navarro; COP Corporal Rick Bellebuono; COPs Carol Bader, Sarah Fall, Dennis Felsin, Jonathan Norris, and Cameron Orr
On the evening of Oct. 31, 2025, volunteers in the Citizen Observer Patrol Division were assigned to traffic control duties during the Sugar Mill Community Halloween event. This event drew thousands of residents, visitors and families to the community, resulting in high pedestrian and vehicle traffic throughout the evening. The C.O.P. team performed exceptionally well in managing the flow of both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, ensuring the safety of all participants, crossing the main intersections, and navigating the event area. Due to their professionalism, attentiveness, and commitment to duty, not a single incident was reported throughout the entire event.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
October – Detective Lauren Broomfield
November – Detention Deputy Alyssa DeMarco-Wall
December – Deputy Kyle Manka
YEARS OF SERVICE
10 years – Detention Deputy Ian Christensen
20 years – Detention Sergeant Timothy Abruzzo
SPECIALTY SERVICE AWARDS
Sergeant Paul Kandour, for serving over six years on the Emergency Response Team
