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Update: In a memo to State Attorney Bruce Colton of Florida’s 19th judicial district on June 4, 2018, Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell said the decision had been made not to file charges against road rage killer Timothy Sartori after a six-month investigation. Gosnell wrote:
“Stand your ground (law) eliminated a need to retreat when you’re in a place other than your home. There is simply insufficient evidence to overcome the claim of self-defense. Mr. Sartori…could have avoided this tragic encounter had he made an effort to retreat with his vehicle. However…in Florida, the present state of self-defense law does not require him to do so. It is not for this prosecutor to debate the policy, but to enforce the laws as written.”
The One Pulse for America campaign calling for charges against Sartori was featured in an article by the newspaper on December 4, 2017.
On November 16, 2017, concealed carry permit holder Timothy Sartori, 29, fired 16 shots during a road range confrontation with Dennis Hicks, 38, in Vero Beach, Florida. Hicks, who was unarmed, was killed instantly in front of motorists on State Road 60. Sartori also put four rounds into a car being driven by Michael Clemente. Clemente’s 3 year-old son was a passenger in the vehicle. Miraculously, neither were injured.
Sartori immediately claimed “self-defense,” even though there is no evidence that Hicks was armed or an immediate threat to him. Melissa Santler, 27, was a passenger in Sartori’s vehicle and a 911 call suggests she was deeply disturbed by his actions. Another witness said of Santori, “He put so many rounds in there—I don’t see how anybody could’ve survived it.”
The shooter has a lengthy criminal record. Sartori was arrested in 2008 on felony charges of burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft auto. He pleaded those charges down to misdemeanors. He has also been cited on multiple occasions for reckless driving.
Despite all this, Santori was allowed to walk free that evening and has yet to be charged with any crime. The Clemente family has launched a petition at Change.org asking for Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell to bring charges.
Please contact Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar and Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell through one of the channels below and give them the following message:
I am contacting you to demand that you charge Timothy Sartori for killing Dennis Hicks and endangering others during the road rage altercation that occurred on State Road 60 on November 16, 2017. We have yet to see a single piece of evidence that Hicks was armed or an immediate threat to Sartori. Yet one witness reported, “[Sartori] put so many rounds in [Hicks’ car]—I don’t see how anybody could’ve survived it.” Furthermore, Sartori put four rounds into a bystander’s vehicle that contained a 3 year-old child! He endangered not only the occupants of this vehicle, but of all the vehicles around him, when he had countless other options to avoid violence. It is disgusting that you allowed this man to walk free that night and have yet to charge him with a crime. He has a lengthy criminal record, is a threat to public safety, and needs to be charged immediately. I will be watching your actions closely.
Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell
Phone: (772) 226-3300
Sheriff Deryl Loar
Phone: (772) 569-6700
Email via webform: http://www.ircsheriff.org/email.cfm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ircsheriff
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IRCSheriff
Once you have contacted Attorney Gosnell and Sheriff Loar, click the orange banner below to report taking action!