ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A Windermere man believes that teenagers are responsible for the small fire outside his home sparked by fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
Surveillance video from that night shows a man light what appears to be a box of fireworks and toss it toward the Terry Santos’ Summerport community home.
Someone else in a car tossed another box, but the person on the sidewalk wasn’t done.
It appears he tossed two more boxes, before he jumped in the car and took off.
“That could result in people’s deaths. At least a destruction of people’s property,” said resident Eric Julin.
Santos, who spoke to Channel 9’s Jeff Deal over the phone, said that the fireworks started a small fire outside his home.
Santos wonders what would have happened if he hadn’t been there to put it out.
“I know kids do things without thinking, but I was a little surprised. That’s pretty dangerous,” said resident Melissa Rogers.
Santos said his home has been targeted in the past few years with eggs, paint guns and pellets.
He’s installed surveillance cameras and has filed reports with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Earlier this year, his cameras captured people egging his home, and on another night, someone rang his doorbell and ran away.
But he and his neighbors said that when people start throwing flammable objects, it becomes more than just vandalism.
“That’s a criminal act,” said Julin.
Santos said he’s particularly worried about the escalating pranks because he now has an infant living in his home.
He said the people in the video were in a dark, Nissan Altima.
Santos gave the video to deputies.
Cox Media Group
