Officers shot Miami man who torched woman, choked wife, tried to kill cops, police say
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A Miami man who was shot Tuesday night by police officers torched people in his home before setting it on fire, choked his wife, struck her with his minivan and then aimed the vehicle at officers, authorities said.
Jerry Sanders, 66, has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer, premeditated attempted murder, arson, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery.
Sanders’ bond was set at $32,500 except for the attempted murder charge for which no bond was set, according to Miami-Dade County jail records. He remained behind bars Thursday.
The chaotic chain of events — detailed in a Wednesday arrest report as a domestic dispute — began at 4:50 p.m. with Sanders having a fight with his wife inside the home in the 1800 block of Northwest 10th Avenue.
Detectives learned that the fight started with Sanders choking his wife, with whom he has a child. He then pointed a propane torch at another woman in the home and lit it on fire. The flames were so close, police said the woman felt the heat.
Sanders then doused her in gasoline before setting the front door ablaze while she was still inside. Then he went outside and burned his wife with the torch, according to the report.
Sanders noticed a man who saw what was happening and pointed the torch at him while it was lit. Sanders then hopped in his 2005 Dodge Caravan and pinned his wife against a palm tree with it, police said.
He reversed twice and hit her again.
At this moment, just before 5 p.m., Miami officers arrived at the home after getting the call about a “domestic violence dispute.” They arrived to find Sanders running over his wife, according to the report.
The officers ran to and confronted Sanders, who was still driving the minivan off the road to “intentionally strike” his wife, the report read.
Sanders proceeded to drive directly toward one of the officers who then shot him and dodged the vehicle. However, Sanders continued and hit the other woman, injuring her leg.
He drove away from the area but got into an accident at Northwest First Place and 64th Street.
He and the woman were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center. He had a gunshot wound, and she had right leg fractures and second-degree burns on her arm.
Officers arrested Sanders in the hospital early Wednesday morning. He refused to speak to officers without an attorney, they said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation with the assistance of the Homicide Unit and Internal Affairs Section of Miami police, cops said Tuesday.
Information about Sanders’ next court date was not available Thursday.
According to Miami-Dade County court records, Sanders was convicted in 1987 of using a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Miami Herald staff writer Devoun Cetoute contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 26, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
