SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - A man visiting South Florida from New York is speaking out after his rental SUV was set on fire in front of his mother’s home.
The family shared cellphone video as well as surveillance video footage of the incident. They said the flames were so intense, they burned a tree next to the driveway where the car was parked.
“My son said he heard a loud explosion, boom,” said Michael McAnuff. “The back of the car is all lit by the gas tank, and I’m thinking that any minute, any second really, the car is going to explode like on TV.”
It happened on New Year’s Day.
“Four hours into the new year,” McAnuff said.
McAnuff had rented the SUV for his trip and said someone had some bad intentions, and he wants to know why they went after his rental vehicle while he was on vacation visiting his family.
“I live in New York City. I don’t live in Florida. I lived here when I was younger, and I moved to New York. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know who would do this. I don’t know,” he said.
The entire time the SUV was on fire, he was worried it would spread to his mother’s home off Northwest 24th Street in Sunrise.
“Scary, because my niece, my mother, my daughter and my wife were all scared that the person would come again,” McAnuff said.
Detectives are investigating this case as arson.
“I want them to go to jail ’cause it’s arson. People could have died. If they’re bold enough to do this, who knows what they’ll do next to somebody else?” McAnuff said.
Anyone with any information about the crime is urged to call police or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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