Not a peep out of Sheriff Mike Chitwood after 2 of his deputies arrested & jailed on drunken driving charges in off-duty incidents over the weekend

By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. -- Two off-duty Volusia County sheriff’s deputies were arrested on DUI charges in separate incidents this weekend.

Deputy Jonathan Johansmeyer was arrested by the Ormond Beach Police Department around 4:14 p.m. Saturday after he was seen driving at a high rate of speed past an OBPD officer at the Bermuda Estates apartment complex on St. Georges Road, according to an arrest affidavit.

Johansmeyer failed to stop for the officer and sped through an adjacent parking lot and onto Granada Boulevard as the officer followed with lights and sirens active before he finally pulled over. Johansmeyer failed to successfully complete several field sobriety exercises. He was charged with DUI and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement.

Johansmeyer, 23, submitted his resignation on Sunday, effective immediately. His hiring date was April 23, 2018, and he was assigned to VCSO District 2 in northwest Volusia County.

Detective Brandon Cobb was arrested on a DUI charge early Sunday after a traffic stop in Garden City, Ga.

Cobb, 27, was subsequently placed on leave and reassigned to an administrative position, pending the outcome of his case. His hiring date was July 19, 2010, and he was most recently assigned to the VCSO District 2 Northwest Detectives Unit.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood, known as the "Scumbag Eradicator" for his colorful language in denigrating criminal suspects  as "scumbags," "knuckleheads," "thugs" and the like has in recent months used the same demeaning adjectives to describe elected leaders and prominent business insiders who have not agreed with him on any number of issues.

Yet when it comes to transgressions either involving himself or any of his agency personnel, Chitwood has time and again been less than transparent.

In the case of the two deputy DUIs this weekend, Chitwood has not said a word, either with media outlets he deems friendly or in his own social media posts on Facebook or Twitter.

Not a peep. 

Such was the case this weekend with the separate DUI deputy incidents.

Two VCSO deputies arrested on DUI charges / Headline SurferSheriff Mike Chitwood, known as the "Scumbag Eradicator  for his colorful language in denigrating criminal suspects  as "scumbags," "knuckleheads," "thugs" and the like has in recent months used the same demeaning adjectives to describe elected leaders and prominent business insiders who have not agreed with him on any number of issues.

Yet when it comes to transgressions either involving himself or any of his agency personnel, Chitwood has time and again been less than transparent. In the case of the two deputy DUIs this weekend, Chitwood has not said a word, either with media outlets he deems friendly or in his own social media posts on Facebook or Twitter. Not a peep. Such was the case this weekend with the separate DUI deputy incidents.

Most notably in bringing out Chitwood's name calling has been political opposition to the Amendment 10 initiative that would make Chitwood a constitutional officer as opposed to a department head under the county manager as dictated in the county charter.