February 6, 2006
BYLINE: ALDO NAHED AND CARLI TEPROFF
Gerald Georgettis apparently thought he got a raw deal on a new car.
So he plowed the Ford Escape he didn’t want through the glass showroom, poured gasoline on it and set the North Dade Metro Ford dealership ablaze, Miami-Dade police said Sunday.
He caused nearly a million dollars in damage, scorching around a dozen cars, including a rare Ford GT Heritage, fire officials said.
Georgettis, 56, a supervisor with the city of North Miami Beach, walked away from the dealership Saturday afternoon as if nothing had happened, witnesses said.
Police caught up with him a few blocks away from the dealership at 9000 NW Seventh Ave. He was arrested without incident. Police charged him with first-degree arson, a felony, and with felony criminal mischief. He posted a $1,500 bond on Sunday.
Georgettis could not be reached for comment. The dealership manager declined to comment.
But those who know Georgettis were shocked at his apparent act of buyer’s rage.
North Miami Beach Mayor Raymond F. Marin was stunned to hear Georgettis, whose duties include managing the city’s Jules Littman Performing Arts Theater, could do such a thing.
”He’s a nice guy. I didn’t know him to be malicious or anything,” Marin said. “He’s always been nice to me and to people he knows.”
It’s unclear what Georgettis’ status with the city will be due to his arrest.
The incident played out on a busy Saturday afternoon at the dealership. According to Miami-Dade Police, Georgettis was fuming over the price he paid, a new one goes for about $20,000 and it’s unknown what price he paid for a new beige Ford Escape SUV. On Saturday he went back to the dealership. It’s unclear what he was told, but he was angered with the final agreement.
He calmly got into the car and drove it through the windows, sending glass shattering everywhere. He then doused gasoline or a flammable fluid on the Escape and other cars and struck a match.
Denise Cruz, another customer, witnessed the jaw-dropping incident. She had brought her car to be serviced and said she was in line when she saw Georgettis careen into the showroom.
”At first I thought someone had pushed the accelerator instead of the brakes by accident,” she said. “But this dude drove through the showroom on purpose.”
Cruz, described the scene as ”pure panic,” with people screaming ”he’s got a bomb!” She said that once the man was in the showroom, she saw him reach over into the passenger side for something, then heard a loud “boom.”
”Flames were everywhere,” she said.
But to her surprise, Georgettis, wearing a bright orange shirt and khaki shorts, was calm and strolled away.
The fire spread throughout the dealership and destroyed cars, computers and paperwork. Among the cars damaged was a rare baby blue 2006 Ford GT ”Heritage,” a limited edition model of only 250 made that sells for $150,000.
A similar rage incident happened in 1994 when Stephanie Elaine Harden, angered at Pep Boys mechanics, walked into the store’s showroom at 3388 N. State Road 7 and poured gasoline on the floor, then lit a match. She was arrested on charges of arson.
Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS4 contributed to this report.
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