Driver accused of opening fire after I-95 pile-up faces attempted murder charges
.jpg "Phillip Nicolas Sanders, 44, faces attempted murder and assault charges after opening fire on I-95 on Saturday, July 5.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Florida Highway Patrol arrested Philip Sanders after shots fired on I-95 crash site.
- Sanders faces attempted murder and aggravated assault charges after incident.
- Troopers recovered firearm on minivan; eyewitnesses confirmed weapon discharge.
A driver accused of opening fire after a Saturday morning multi-car crash on Interstate 95 in North Miami is facing a slew of charges, including several counts of attempted murder.
Philip Nicolas Sanders, 44, began shooting from a white Jaguar SUV after causing a pile-up near Northwest 125th Street, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, which sent troopers to the scene around 11:30 p.m. Friday.
A motorcyclist who swerved and fell in front of Sanders’ car, identified as Derick Blaine Flores in the report, pointed him out as the gunman to arriving troopers. When the biker walked toward his passenger side, gunfire came from the Jaguar as Sanders shot at him through the front and rear windows, according to the FHP arrest report.
FHP says Sanders was slow to comply with troopers after repeated requests to exit the SUV. He was arrested when he stepped out a few minutes later. His arrest reports says that, while handcuffed, Sanders ducked for cover behind the tire of a nearby car, and that “he appeared extremely paranoid, repeatedly stating he believed someone was going to shoot or harm him.”
Sanders was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center for treatment after being injured in the crash and will be booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center once medically cleared.
The gun was later found by troopers on the hood of a nearby Chrysler minivan that Sanders rear-ended and shot at immediately after the crash. The driver, identified as Delroy Anthony Thomas, took cover and was unharmed.
Though no bullets struck either of the vehicles, damage to the windows of Sanders’ Jaguar lines up with the two victims’ accounts of the shooting, according to the report.
FHP says four other cars were hit by Sanders’ vehicle during the pile-up and that “each victim stated they clearly heard gunshots originating from” the Jaguar. Two people in a gray Mazda SUV and four in another vehicle told troopers they saw the gunman holding a black handgun, according to the FHP report.
Sanders’ criminal history shows multiple run-ins with battery, assault and burglary accusations, but all charges have been dropped.
He now faces two counts of attempted murder and 11 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of discharging a firearm from a vehicle.
This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 1:43 PM.