FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — Two people were taken into custody after an hourslong standoff with law enforcement in Palm Coast, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly announced Wednesday afternoon.
A Flagler County deputy responded around 6:40 a.m. to a disturbance call on Forsythe Lane in reference to an individual who had blocked the road with "junk" and was playing loud music, the sheriff said.
When the deputy arrived, the sheriff said the suspect, identified as 55-year-old Robert Detherow, exposed himself and started throwing items, including a glass bottle, at the deputy when she requested backup. The suspect went back inside after the incident.
Staly said Detherow came out of his residence twice and resisted law enforcement. Both times the suspect came outside, he was hit with a rubber bullet but still was able to retreat inside, the sheriff said.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office's bomb squad because deputies did not know what Detherow had inside his residence. FBI was also on the scene.
The sheriff said law enforcement used a fortified machine to clear debris from the suspect's property and took down the garage door and front door.
"That allowed us to put a robot into the house," he said.
The sheriff added that Detherow never communicated with law enforcement during the course of the incident.
"That's not a good indicator when you are trying to negotiate with an individual," said Staly.
He added another suspect, identified as Kaleb Smith, 23, later came out of the residence, resisted law enforcement, and was hit with a rubber bullet before he was arrested.
The sheriff said a short time after Smith was arrested, Detherow came outside, resisted arrest and was hit with another rubber bullet before he was ultimately taken into custody.
The sheriff said Deherow is a sovereign citizen who had made posts about his hatred of local police following the arrest of his son in March for a stabbing that police say was religiously motivated.
Staly described Robert Detherow as a "religious fanatic."
"He is clearly a fanatic of some type, and I'm sure the neighborhood is glad he's been apprehended," said Staly.
Staly added nearby residences were evacuated during the hourslong incident, and no one was hurt.
Detherow faces multiple charges including five counts of aggravated assault on an officer, five counts of assault of an officer, four counts of resisting an officer without violence and one count of exposure of sexual organs.
Smith faces charges of resisting an officer without violence.
Editor's note: First Coast News updated this story with the correct name of one of the individuals arrested.
