Circuit Court Judge Dan Vaughn denied a motion to dismiss charges against Andrew Coffee IV in connection with a fatal March 2017 drug raid that claimed the life of his girlfriend.
Coffee IV, now 27, has been held at the Indian River County Jail on $440,000 bond ever since the raid that took place at a home in the 4500 block of 35th Avenue in Gifford, where he lived with relatives. Indian River County deputies said Coffee IV initially fired at deputies, causing them to return fire.
Coffee IV, who was not the target of the raid, said he fired at what he thought were home intruders. His girlfriend, Alteria Woods, 21, was killed in the crossfire after being struck 10 times by bullets.
Prosecutors charged Coffee IV for Woods’ death, noting he committed a felony he should have known would cause harm to others.
Coffee IV, a convicted felon, faces life in prison if he is convicted on the charges against him for the raid, prosecutors said. Those charges include second-degree murder with a firearm, three counts of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer by discharging a weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and shooting or throwing a deadly missile.
Coffee IV’s defense attorneys filed a motion in October to have the charges dismissed under Stand Your Ground immunity. The three officers who fired shots in the raid – Christopher Reeve, Patrick White and Richard ‘Rick’ Sarcinello – along with Coffee IV and witnesses testified during a Stand Your Ground hearing held in March in Vaughn’s courtroom.
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.
The sheriff’s office did not have body cameras at the time that would’ve captured the incident. The sheriff’s office conducted its own investigation into the shooting, and the grand jury later exonerated Reeve, White and Sarcinello.
In a court document filed June 2, Vaughn noted that law enforcement did announce their presence on several occasions during the early morning raid on March 19, 2017.
Vaughn also said testimonies from deputies involved in the raid were more credible than the testimonies from Coffee IV and his father Coffee III. Vaughn noted the law enforcement officers’ statements were consistent with each others, while statements from Coffee IV and his father were inconsistent.
Deputies – part of a team of nearly two dozen officers participating in the raid – said they arrested Coffee III, the target of the operation, when they arrived at the main doorway entrance.
Coffee III was later charged with several narcotic offenses after deputies found drugs in the home, including cocaine. Deputies said they moved to the east end of the home, broke a bedroom window and yelled “sheriff’s office.”
Deputies then tossed a flash bang inside the room where Coffee IV was asleep with Woods. Coffee IV said he never heard the announcement and thought intruders were breaking the window.
The defense noted that flash bangs leaves people disoriented by causing temporary blindness and deafness. The defense also said the sheriff’s SWAT team did not use flashlights when announcing themselves.
Coffee IV said he saw a gun barrel sticking through the window in the dark room. Coffee IV then grabbed a .45 caliber pistol and fired at the window, officials said.
In the court document, Vaughn said Coffee IV knew or should have known that the individuals at his window were law enforcement officers. Vaughn said deputies returned fire in order to defend themselves from Coffee IV.
It was unclear if the defense planned to appeal Vaughn’s decision. Coffee IV was due in court June 30, records show.
