FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Just a few months into his new position, Fernandina Beach city manager Ty Ross is accused of drunkenly crashing his bicycle in October before getting dropped off at home by police without consequence. Many are accusing the city of sweeping Ross' behavior under the rug.
Ross previously served as city manager in Loudon, Tennessee. He resigned in September. He became the city manager of Fernandina Beach less than two weeks before the incident.
On the night of October 29th, body camera video shows a Fernandina Beach police officer approaching Fernandina Beach city manager Ty Ross who sitting in the grass next to a bike on the side of South 14th Street and Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach.
"What's going on tonight?" the officer asks Ross.
"I am just taking in the sound," Ty Ross said.
Someone passing by called the police after seeing Ross rolling around in the grass on the side of the road.
"I thought he got hit, he was laying in the grass," a bystander said.
Ross admitted he was out drinking. He told the officer he didn't need an ambulance and the officer gave him a ride home.
"Thank you. I appreciate your help," Ross tells the officer.
"Just a heads up, if you need a ride or whatever just give us a call and we'll try to get you home, okay? So that way you don't fall off your bike and possibly get hit by a car, okay, because that wouldn't be good," the officer said.
The officer's body camera video shows he did not perform a breathalyzer test or issue Ross a citation. Police Chief Jeffrey Tambasco says the officer determined there were no criminal charges to report and says the department policy was followed.
"The Fernandina Beach Police Department is a professional organization driven by core values of partnership, integrity, and respect. We pride ourselves on our reputation for kindness, compassion, and being a helpful part of our community. The officer called to the scene did exactly what I would expect, and exactly what happens on a regular basis for citizens in similar situations," Fernandina Beach Police Chief Jeffrey Tambasco said in a statement.
During a city commission meeting Tuesday, more than a month after the incident, Ross apologized, saying he thought he was being responsible by riding a bike instead of driving a car when drinking.
"Life is tough. I encountered stress I've never felt before in my life. I moved to a new state, took a new job without my support system," Ross said. "I've sought professional help for myself. I learned through talking to professionals that I was using maladaptive coping strategies, social lubrications in settings that I was trying to make friends and be funny and I overdid it, I goofed."
Ross said he never intended for this to come to the public's attention, but many told the commission they were angry about being kept in the dark.
"The public has the right to know if the police chief or other supervisors instructed responding officers or department officials to respond in anyway in the accident to make sure this didn't come public," someone said during public comment Tuesday.
City councilmember Darren Ayscue defended Ross, saying he is doing a good job and is remorseful.
"I want to say to the public that I don't believe this was in any way, shape or form attempted to be swept under the rug. I don't believe there was some conflict between the city manager or our police chief at all," City Commissioner Darron Ayscue said.
Chief Tambasco requested the State Attorney's Office independently review the incident. The city commission also requested its own special meeting next week to review the body camera video and discuss the incident.
Ross asks for the community's support.
"I have doubled down and rededicated myself to my mental health as well as my psychical health and I think I'm doing better than I've ever done before," Ross said.
In 2019, as city manager in Loudon, Tennessee, Ross was investigated for accusations of euthanizing feral cat colony but news reports show he was reinstated and the investigation ended. Ross resigned from his position in September and began his role in Fernandina Beach in October.