NEWS RELEASE
Holiday Weekend Roundup: July 3-5
Date:Monday, July 6, 2026
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies made 15 arrests, including two for DUI, during the holiday weekend between 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2026, and 6 a.m. on Monday, July 6, 2026. Deputies handled 1,310 calls for service and made 222 traffic stops over the long weekend.
Man Arrested for Battery on Law Enforcement During Water Rescue
On Friday, deputies arrested Ryan McMinn, 47, of Palm Coast, after he battered deputies who were pulling him from a snake-and-alligator-infested canal where he had once again fled.
A deputy located McMinn — who had originally been the subject of a welfare check previously — after he was found lying on the ground shirtless in front of Wadsworth Elementary School. The deputy attempted to check on McMinn, who fled on foot. A few minutes later, the Flagler County Emergency Communications Center received a call from a resident on Whittle Place in Palm Coast, reporting a man was crawling around in their backyard and trying to climb the side of their house.
Deputies located McMinn near the canal behind the residence and asked him if he was ok or needed assistance. Upon spotting deputies, McMinn ran into the canal and began swimming. Deputies ordered McMinn to exit the water multiple times, but he refused. As McMinn began treading water, deputies observed him begin to show signs of exhaustion. Due to his exhausted state and refusal to exit, two deputies entered the water to pull McMinn out of the canal.
When deputies reached McMinn, he began pushing and pulling in attempts to get away. During his attempts to resist deputies, McMinn tried to grab a deputy’s head to push it under the water, then tried to grab the neck of the other deputy.
Deputies were able to gain control of McMinn’s arms and pull him safely to shore. He was treated by Flagler County Fire Rescue and ultimately transported to AdventHealth Palm Coast, where he was treated and medically cleared.
Deputies arrested McMinn for two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on a $5,000 bond.
Ryan McMinn (Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility mug shot)
“Battering a Deputy Sheriff will guarantee you the loss of your freedom and a trip to jail,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “These deputies went into the water to rescue this guy, and he responded by fighting them. I commend our deputies for their willingness to get in a canal that usually have snakes and gators and pull this guy to safety before he drowned.”
“See Something, Say Something” Results in Man Arrested for DUI in Publix Parking Lot
On Sunday, deputies arrested Nicholas Blaisdell, 40, of Palm Coast, on multiple charges following a DUI in the parking lot of a Publix, which became his second interaction with deputies in one day.
Deputies responded to a report of a highly intoxicated man walking around Publix on North Ocean Shore Boulevard in Palm Coast. Once on scene, a deputy spoke to the caller, who stated he last saw the man wandering the parking lot looking for his car. The deputy located the man, later determined to be Blaisdell, inside his vehicle, which was parked with the motor running.
Upon spotting the deputy’s patrol vehicle, Blaisdell attempted to drive away. The deputy followed Blaisdell through the parking lot as he swerved back and forth, randomly sped up and slowed down, and eventually pulled back into the same parking spot where he was originally located. After stopping, Blaisdell immediately exited the vehicle and placed his keys on the vehicle’s roof. The deputy observed he had difficulty maintaining his balance and appeared to almost fall over.
The deputy spoke to Blaisdell and noticed he had wide, watery eyes and the strong smell of alcohol coming from his breath. While speaking to the deputy, Blaisdell originally refused to provide his name and stated he would not be answering any questions. When the deputy informed him that failing to identify himself to law enforcement was a crime, Blaisdell eventually identified himself as “Nick.”
The deputy identified Blaisdell as being involved in a call for service a few hours prior, where deputies had trespassed him from a nearby gas station for being heavily intoxicated and acting belligerent toward customers.
The deputy asked Blaisdell to complete a series of field sobriety exercises, which he refused. Blaisdell was arrested for DUI, where he refused to provide a breath test at the jail. After his refusal, he was transported to AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway for medical clearance. Once there, he refused treatment and began to curse at hospital employees. He was then transported back to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
While at the jail, Blaisdell threatened the deputy, stating “the second these handcuffs come off, I’m going to punch you.” He also refused to sign his DUI citation.
Deputies arrested Blaisdell for DUI, refusal to accept or sign a citation, threats of harm to a law enforcement officer, and obstruction without violence.
Nicholas Blaisdell (Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility mug shot)
“This guy obviously becomes an arrogant and belligerent drunk, which continued at the jail,” said Sheriff Staly. “Instead of celebrating the holiday responsibly, he lost his freedom and was shown some new bars at the Green Roof Inn. I thank our team for professionally dealing with this drunk.”
Blaisdell is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on a $7,500 bond.