DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A former fire rescue employee was arrested after police found a video of him molesting an unconscious female while on duty and in uniform.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office and Daytona Beach Police Department worked to investigate the case. They learned the victim was a former resident of Flagler Beach and Flagler County Fire Rescue was called to her residence in October 2021. The incident caught on video occurred in the patient transport area of a fire rescue ambulance while the victim was being transported to a hospital, according to a Facebook post.
Detectives reviewed the video "which explicitly showed the suspect violating the victim while she was clearly unconscious." Deputies said the victim was completely unaware of being attacked by the fire rescue employee named James Melady.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Melady, 37, and he was arrested on Wednesday for sexual battery on a helpless person and video voyeurism on a victim 19 years old or older. He was booked into the Volusia County jail, according to court records.
Detectives said he confessed to his crimes and retired from Flagler County Fire Rescue earlier this year.
“It’s unfathomable to me what this predator did to an unconscious victim while on duty while being entrusted to provide proper emergency medical care but instead sexually assault her,” said Sheriff Rick Staly in the post.
Anyone who may have been a victim of Melady or has information on this case or other victims is encouraged to call the FCSO Communications Center's non-emergency line at 386-313-4911 or email TIPS@flaglersheriff.com.
