Authorities in Florida say a man purposely rammed his car full of propane tanks into an apartment building, causing the vehicle to explode.
Fort Pierce police say the driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Carl Philbert, was upset over a fight he had with a woman he was in a relationship with that lived in the building.
“He intended to do damage,” Ed Cunningham, Fort Pierce Police spokesman, said. “He raced his car into this apartment where 5 people were, intending to kill them, blow the place up, or create some kind of havoc.”
Police say the couple fought Tuesday, and Philbert returned later that day with four tanks of propane in his car.
Police say Philbert drove his car into a ground floor apartment unit, causing the car to burst into flames, and eventually explode.
One neighbor captured the immediate aftermath of the crash, including the moment when the car suddenly exploded.
“I’ve never seen anything like that. That was crazy,” Kathy Toledo said. She says her husband, Pablo, ran over with a fire extinguisher to try and put the fire out.
Officers believe Philbert was targeting five people inside the unit, including his girlfriend’s three-year-old child. Everyone inside that unit managed to escape the building unharmed following the crash.
Philbert was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Chris Garcia was inside his unit just next door to the site of the crash. He says the impact of the crash was intense.
“It was pretty hard, shook the house, vibrated the couch, the walls,” Garcia said.
Police believe Philbert had a history of domestic trouble with the woman he was in a relationship with. The department is now using this case as a reminder for couples to seek help in cases of domestic violence, or abusive relationships.
“Call the police if there’s an issue,” Officer Cunningham said. “Don’t let it come to this.”
13 people in total were displaced from the apartment building following the crash and fire.
