Volusia Sheriff's Office

Volusia Sheriff's Office Your source of news and info from the office of Sheriff Mike Chitwood. Visit us at volusiasheriff.gov

The Volusia Sheriff's Office is dedicated to preserving the peace, protecting residents and their property, enforcing all laws and detecting and preventing crime. The men and women of the Sheriff's Office strive to maintain the highest professional standards while delivering a full range of community-based law enforcement and crime prevention programs to the citizens of Volusia County. In addition

to our jurisdiction throughout unincorporated Volusia, the Sheriff's Office also provides law enforcement services on a contract basis in Deltona, DeBary, Pierson and Oak Hill. Law enforcement services are based out of District offices in DeBary, Deltona, DeLand, Holly Hill and New Smyrna Beach, a substation in Pierson and a centrally located Operations Center that combine to provide a wide range of patrol and criminal investigative services. A full range of crime prevention and public safety programs also have been integrated into the five District offices to make these services more convenient and accessible to the citizens we serve. The Sheriff's Office also operates a variety of highly trained, specialized units and provides law enforcement services at Daytona Beach International Airport. For more information, visit our website at volusiasheriff.gov.

06/01/2026

CASE UPDATE: The driver who ran over a Volusia County beach toll booth is in custody under Florida's Baker Act while the VSO traffic homicide investigation continues.

The toll attendant killed in today's tragic crash was longtime employee Tammie Jo Baker, 63, Daytona Beach.

The driver responsible for the crash is Deanna Harrell, 35, Ormond Beach.

An initial briefing on scene from Sheriff Chitwood is provided here.

Around 12:40 p.m. today (Monday, June 1), a pickup traveling eastbound on Dunlawton Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores struc...
06/01/2026

Around 12:40 p.m. today (Monday, June 1), a pickup traveling eastbound on Dunlawton Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores struck a beach ramp toll booth, which was occupied by a toll attendant.

After striking the toll booth, the truck continued onto the beach and into the ocean.

Despite rescue efforts on scene, the toll attendant did not survive her injuries.

The driver has been detained as a thorough crash investigation is conducted. Additional information from that investigation will be provided as it becomes available.

The Dunlawton beach access ramp will remain closed until further notice.

The Sheriff's Office sends sincere condolences to the victim's family, friends and coworkers following this tragic loss of life.

06/01/2026

Deputy Logan Utt, husband, father, U.S. military veteran and firefighter, lost his life this weekend when he was shot during a wellness check call in Cana, Virginia.

The shooter fired at Deputy Utt and a second Carroll County Sheriff's Office deputy as soon as they arrived on scene. The other deputy was hit in his ballistic vest, but Utt was fatally injured. The shooter fled the scene but was arrested Sunday in North Carolina after a 2-day manhunt.

As Deputy Utt's funeral procession takes place today, we are sending our deepest condolences, love and support to his loving family that now has to face every law enforcement family's worst nightmare. A friend of this fallen deputy posted last night: "I am reminded of the impact that Logan Utt had on so many of our lives. I can't think of a bad one. This was a positive of a person you could get. He was a friend to so many. If you knew him you loved him."

Missing juvenile: Evannie Debow, 17, ran away from a group home Sunday night in Deltona. She was last seen just before 1...
06/01/2026

Missing juvenile: Evannie Debow, 17, ran away from a group home Sunday night in Deltona. She was last seen just before 10 p.m. walking down Fort Smith Boulevard toward Courtland Boulevard. She was wearing a black/pink/dark blue striped shirt, dark shorts, black sandals, and a backpack. She has light hair with pink highlights. If you have info, please contact 911 or 386-248-1777.

What a graduation week for Volusia County Schools 👏 Congrats to all the grads headed into their next big chapter, and al...
05/31/2026

What a graduation week for Volusia County Schools 👏

Congrats to all the grads headed into their next big chapter, and all the families rooting them on!

Shout out to the whole team that worked hard to keep these big events safe, secure and focused on celebrating success 👍

Here's an update on the Child Exploitation Unit search warrant we showed you early this morning.During an initial forens...
05/29/2026

Here's an update on the Child Exploitation Unit search warrant we showed you early this morning.

During an initial forensic examination of Trent Prather's devices, we found 42,000+ files that appear to contain illegal images of children.

As you probably saw, Prather was already taken into custody this morning with no bond on weapons charges. For now, we're adding 20 counts of possession of these materials while the investigation continues. He is not going anywhere in the meantime.

The recovered images included girls from the ages of about 4 to 10, which will disturb you even more when you find out that his own children are in that age range.

This is not even Prather's first time getting caught. In 2011, in Utah, he was investigated and arrested for viewing the same type of content, mostly involving girls 6-7 years old, but some as young as 2. He was charged with 10 counts of exploitation of a minor and sentenced to probation.

He was investigated again in Utah in 2018 after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children submitted a tip that he'd downloaded more files. Evidently, somehow there was not enough evidence to charge or prosecute him.

I have been asked how this danger to society was allowed to leave Utah and find a fresh start in DeLand, FL without having to register as a s*x offender. Or how he was able to purchase guns as a convicted felon. I'd like to know those answers too.

But I can tell you that the VSO Child Exploitation Unit is doing everything in their power through this investigation to make sure Trent Prather's years-long pattern of sick and dangerous behavior is over. In Volusia County we are not going to make the same mistakes as Utah. Thank you NCMEC and VSO CEU detectives for your hard work protecting kids in our community and all over this country.

Knowledge is the best tool in fighting against scammers that prey on the most vulnerable in our community. Today, the Fi...
05/29/2026

Knowledge is the best tool in fighting against scammers that prey on the most vulnerable in our community.

Today, the Financial Crimes Unit kicked off an initiative aimed at spreading our knowledge as far as possible to ensure it reaches those that need it most. This morning, FCU detectives met with city leaders, bank representatives and assisted living facility directors for a “train-the-trainer” approach.

By equipping them with information on current fraud risk trends and how to avoid scammers, it means they are able to help in VSO’s fight against these scumbags.

05/29/2026

Daniel Alphonse was driving 105 mph on Howland Boulevard in Deltona yesterday with a 5-year-old child in the back (no car seat). Alphonse was arrested on charges of child neglect, reckless driving, and a super speeder violation.

05/29/2026

VSO SWAT and our Child Exploitation Unit executed a search warrant early this morning on Lake Forest Drive, DeLand, as part of an active & ongoing investigation. We will update you as this investigation continues.

We’re hiring! As we wrap up the school year, VSO is looking for crossing guards for the upcoming year. Pictured here is ...
05/28/2026

We’re hiring! As we wrap up the school year, VSO is looking for crossing guards for the upcoming year. Pictured here is Evelyn who is “training” to help keep the streets safe at Timbercrest Elementary School! 😉

If you’d like to help keep kids safe as they walk or bike to school, this is the job for you. Apply today: volusiasheriff.gov/careers

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Deland, FL

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