- January 8, 2025
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A Palm Coast officer was injured responding to a crash on Jan. 7. Photos courtesy of David Beltran
A Palm Coast officer was injured responding to a crash on Jan. 7. Photos courtesy of David Beltran
This story was updated Jan. 8
A crash following a crash resulted in Steven Brooks, 82, a member of the Palm Coast Fire Police, being injured on Jan. 7. He sustained four broken bones and other injuries, lost consciousness and was transported by Flagler FireFlight to Halifax Health's trauma center. He is now in critical but stable condition.
The first crash occurred when a motor vehicle struck a motorized scooter at the intersection of Seminole Woods Parkway and Sesame Drive just before 5 p.m. Jan. 7.
The Palm Coast Fire Department responded to the scene.
Brooks, a retired firefighter from Utah, was serving as a volunteer with the Palm Coast Fire Police, so he began directing traffic. As he did so, Brooks was struck by a separate vehicle.
Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill arrived at the scene and happened to take the same path as the vehicle that struck Brooks.
“The sun, at that part of the road, you’re facing due west, and it was kind of a brutal sun time for vision, so that just means you have to be extra cautious,” Berryhill said.
Which is exactly why the Fire Police are there: to protect the first responders.
“One of the hallmarks of our Fire Police is to be incredibly visible,” he said. He added: “Our community has a great history of caring about the first responders. They consistently do that. One way they can help is being extra cautious in the road way.”
Brooks has been with the Fire Police for more than two years. He was an assistant chief at a department in Utah during his career.
“He’s a great guy who just wants to be there and help,” Berryhill said.
The Fire Police has served the community for more than 20 years.
“They’ve been a huge part in helping first responders to stay safe at one of the most dangerous situations they face: when they’re interacting with the public who is on a mission to get by, or around, or through.”
The motorized scooter rider was transported to an Advent Health hospital in Palm Coast, indicating he did not need trauma care, Berryhill said.
The incident occurred just before the Palm Coast City Council meeting that night, where Berryhill was scheduled to make a presentation.
Mayor Mike Norris asked the audience: “Please pray for our deputies and firefighters.”
