INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Three law enforcement officers who fired shots in the drug raid that took Alteria Woods’ life spoke in court Wednesday, saying they loudly announced themselves before gunfire erupted.
“I yelled ‘sheriff’s office, search warrant’ three or four times,” Retired Indian River Shores Officer Richard (Rick) Sarcinello said on the stand. Sarcinello detailed how he and Indian River Deputy Christopher Reeve broke a bedroom window to a Gifford home during the March 19, 2017 raid. The officers said they didn’t know Andrew Coffee IV, 27, and his girlfriend, Woods, were staying in the targeted residence.
Sarcinello, Reeve and another deputy Patrick White testified during a ‘Stand Your Ground’ hearing for Coffee IV at the Indian River County Courthouse. The three officers who sprayed bullets while executing a search warrant gave their versions of what took place at the home on 35th Avenue.
“I took on gunfire right away. I saw a round muzzle flash,” said Sarcinello, who exchanged gunfire with Coffee IV. “I remember flinching, raising my weapon up and firing (back) at the muzzle flash.”
Woods, a 21-year-old pharmacy technician, was struck 10 times during the crossfire. She died on the bed, reports show. The target of the botched probe was not Andrew Coffee IV, but his father Andrew Coffee III, who had been arrested before deputies moved to search the home, investigators said.
Coffee IV’s defense attorneys argued that Coffee IV had no knowledge of the drug raid and thought he was being robbed at the home, where he lived with his father and grandmother. The defense noted that officers in the raid used flash bangs – which they said cause temporary deafness and blindness – and did not use flash lights when announcing themselves.
Coffee IV’s family and defense attorneys said deputies fired first and Coffee IV fired back in self-defense. There was no video of the incident because deputies do not have body cameras.
“We believe there was a lot of commotion and yelling,” Defense Attorney Adam Chrzan said. “We believe the sheriff’s office fired first entirely into Coffee IV’s bedroom.”
Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn was expected to make a decision on the motion sometime this week.
Vaughn’s decision could greatly impact Coffee IV’s prosecution. If Vaughn allows the Stand Your Ground immunity defense, prosecutors will have to work to disprove Coffee IV’s claim that he feared for his life at the sudden sound of explosives.
Florida’s Stand Your Ground law states “a person who is in a dwelling or residence in which the person has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground. That person also has the right to use deadly force if they feel their life is in danger, the law states.
Prosecutors charged Coffee IV for Woods’ death, noting he committed a felony he should have known would cause harm to others. In turn, the grand jury exonerated Reeves, White and Sarcinello.
Preparing for the raid
Andrew Coffee IV, also known as “A.J.,” sat in a red jail jumpsuit and face mask next to his defense attorneys as the court heard several hours of testimonies from eight witnesses, including Reeve, White and Sarcinello.
The three law enforcement officers spoke about their years of experience in classes and training for narcotics, drug trafficking, SWAT school and conducting search warrants. The officers said Coffee III became the target of a narcotics probe after they learned he had 14 grams of cocaine and firearms at his home.
Reeve said he consulted with White on preparing the search warrant to detain Coffee III. The officers said there was a list of names of other people who might also be inside the home when the raid was expected to occur.
Coffee IV’s name was on the list, but Woods’ name was not, according to the officers.
Still, quiet morning before chaos
The early morning hours of March 19, 2017, were still and quiet in the 4500 block of 35th Avenue in Gifford. The sky was still dark when about 20 SWAT team members got in position to execute a knock-and-announce warrant, the officers said.
SWAT members surrounded the 1,000 square-foot home made of drywall and plywood.
Before deputies could knock, Coffee III, also known as “Cheesy,” opened the main door. White said he yelled “sheriff’s office, search warrant,” and then Coffee III slammed the door shut.
Deputies pulled the door back open and removed Coffee III from the home, White said. A deputy then tossed a flash bang into the room Coffee III was previously in, sheriff’s officials said.
White said he gave commands for Reeve and Sarcinello – on the east side of the home – to break the window to another bedroom. This was the bedroom where Coffee IV and Woods were in.
“Our goal was to get everyone to come out to us,” White said.
Reeve said he used a 6-foot long metal pole with spikes to break the window. He then detonated a flash bang that was fixed on the end of the pole.
Sarcinello said he yelled “sheriff’s office, search warrant.” Sarcinello said he and Reeve exchanged gunshots at close range with a person inside, later identified as Coffee IV.
“Another round came through the wall between Reeves and I,” Sarcinello said. “The round went across the street and struck an electrical box.”
Sarcinello said he used a 300 Blackout assault rifle in the raid. Reeve said he saw Sarcinello fire “about a dozen shots” into the bedroom.
Reeve said he pulled out his own firearm, a .45 caliber handgun, and fired into the room. It was unclear how many total shots were fired toward the bedroom.
“I saw the muzzle flash right in front of my face. I feared for my life,” Reeve said. “I could not determine the identity of the person firing the gun. The room was pitch black.”
White said he went over to the window and held up his handgun, with a small light attached, toward the bedroom. White said he exchanged gunfire with Coffee IV, who he said hid behind the drywall in the hallway.
White shined his light throughout the room and saw Woods unresponsive, bleeding and lying on the bed. Coffee IV eventually surrendered and crawled out of a doorway at the home.
White said deputies tried to treat Woods, but she had succumbed to her injuries.
White, Reeves and Sarcinello are being sued in federal court by Woods’ mother, Yolanda Woods, for misconduct. Coffee IV’s motion hearing was expected to resume Thursday morning.