Daytona Fire Chief, Deputy Chief Appear Before State Prosecutors

Two of the top leaders of the Daytona Beach Fire Department appeared before state prosecutors in a closed-door testimony on Wednesday. Chief Dru Driscoll and Deputy Chief Jessica Matthews both fulfilled subpoenas issued in April related to allegations of mishandled funds. An examination of the Daytona Beach Fire Department by City Auditor Abinet Belachew revealed expenditures which alarmed city leadership and residents alike. In a period spanning 2021 to 2025, the DBFD was found to have spent over $500,000 on vehicle maintenance and over $50,000 on food, the audit found. Neither Chief Driscoll nor Deputy Chief Matthews have provided comment to media about the nature of their talks with state prosecutors. The hearing occurred behind closed doors. It's not yet clear whether anyone in the DBFD may face criminal charges. Daytona Beach's fire officials are not the only city employees currently being subject to scrutiny from Tallahassee. On Wednesday, City Clerk Letitia LaMagna was subpoenaed for documents pertaining to the city's financials in recent years. Four employees of the City of Daytona Beach are tied to the records requested in LaMagna's subpoena. These include City Manager Deric Feacher, Deputy City Manager Jim Morris, Fire Chief/Deputy City Manager Dru Driscoll, and Business Enterprise Management Director Michael Stallworth. Three elected members of the Daytona City Commission are also referenced: Mayor Derrick Henry and commissioners Dannette Henry and Paula Reed. The Daytona Beach-News Journal reported on these inviduals' connections to the subpoenas. Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Richard Mantei is seeking communications from these individuals spanning from October 2025 through late April 2026. He's working under Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on the greater investigation into Daytona Beach's increasingly scrutinized financials.