DEBARY, Fla. – Video shows a man launching a Molotov cocktail into a car in a DeBary neighborhood Friday after deputies responded to multiple vehicle fires in the area, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said deputies and firefighters responded to three vehicle fires at two neighboring homes around 4:45 a.m. in the area of Oak Springs Court.
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Surveillance video shows a man catapulting a Molotov cocktail into one of the cars, throwing it at the window multiple times before running away.
Michael Cushing told News 6 he remembers waking up around 4:40 a.m. to flames outside his window.
“I remember hearing my mom yell from her room which immediately woke me up. I could tell by the way that she yelled that something was seriously wrong,” Cushing said. “I realized that our two cars were on fire, but I also saw that our next door neighbor’s car was also on fire.”
He said nothing like this has ever happened in the neighborhood before to his knowledge and said, as a result, both of the vehicles were destroyed.
“It’s been horrifying these past two weeks as we wait to learn more about the status of the investigation. We’ve all had a hard time sleeping because of this, just knowing that whoever did this is still on the loose,” Cushing said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Volusia County Sheriff’s District 6 Office at 386-668-3830 or the 24/7 non-emergency line at 386-248-1777.
Callers can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of North East Florida by calling 888-277-TIPS or using the P3 Tips app for a potential cash reward.
To donate to the families impacted by the car fires, you can find their GoFundMe here.