- October 7, 2024
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A man Sheriff Rick Staly described as a “religious fanatic” was arrested on June 5 after a six hour standoff with law enforcement outside of 94 Forsythe Lane.
The suspect, Robert Shawn Detherow, 55, who lives at the home, has been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and exposure of sexual organs. A second man who was also in the home during the standoff, Kaleb Smith, 23, was also arrested and has been charged with resisting arrest.
While no one was injured in the standoff, Detherow was hit multiple times with a 40-millimeter rubber bullet while Smith was hit once with one after refusing to comply with FCSO orders.
In a FCSO Facebook video statement, Staly described Detherow as having a sovereign-citizen mentality and called him a “religious fanatic.” The rubber bullets, he said, are "less lethal" rounds meant to disable a suspect.
“Thankfully, we were able to resolve this situation without anyone getting hurt,” Staly said. “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.”
The incident began at 6:33 that morning when Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the address for a disturbance, a FCSO press release said. A dispatch call said Detherow had placed a table, chairs and other debris in the middle of the street and had been playing loudly music throughout the night.
The caller told dispatch that Detherow is the father of Hunter Detherow, a stabbing suspect who was arrested in March 2024 and has since been incarcerated, the press release said. Because of the previous investigation, FCSO knew firearms were in the home.
Deputies — one of which was a female deputy, Staly said — arrived at 94 Forsythe Lane and Detherow began masturbating in front of them, according to Staly’s video statement. Detherow then began throwing bottles at the deputies when they called for backup.
Detherow retreated into his home, only briefly exiting several times to yell at deputies, the press release said. As the standoff began, the FCSO closed Forsythe Road and evacuated the neighboring homes.
Several FCSO units responded to the standoff: FCSO’s Crisis Negotiation Team, Behavioral Response Unit and SWAT team. Because of the debris on the road, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad was also requested. No explosives were found on the scene.
A search of Detherow’s social media found several Facebook posts and YouTube videos alluding to “suicide by cop” and becoming a martyr, the press release said. Some of the posts also were directed at Staly and the FCSO over Detherow’s son’s arrest.
Detherow refused to communicate with the FCSO, but eventually the FCSO was able to breach the garage and front door, arresting Detherow and Smith, the press release said. Several firearms were seized in a search of the home and the two men were taken to the county jail.
