Security video shows suspect destroying, setting fire to Sanford temple

Security video from Wat Navaram Buddhist Temple shows a fast-moving attack that left Sanford’s Lao Buddhist community facing fire damage, shattered peace of mind and a larger question about whether the incident was simple vandalism or something more threatening.

The footage shows Singhasouk Danny Phanouvong, 51, of Atlanta, entering the temple, pushing over items, grabbing belongings and kicking objects as he moved through the building before setting it on fire. Sanford police were called around 9:30 p.m. on May 2 after a report that someone was setting the temple on fire. By the time the scene was secured, the attack had already damaged outside worship areas, a stupa, a new worship chapel and the daily worship hall.

The temple’s losses were not just structural. CBS12 reported that a wheelchair-bound monk inside an apartment on the property during the fire was rescued and was not injured. The temple’s attorney said damage could reach tens of thousands of dollars, underscoring how quickly a single intruder turned a religious center into a crime scene. Wat Navaram Buddhist Temple, Inc. has been listed in Florida corporate records as an active nonprofit since May 1, 1989, and the Sanford temple had recently hosted a Lao New Year Festival in April, an event the city promoted as a way for the public to learn about Lao culture.

After the fire, Phanouvong fled and led law enforcement on a chase that crossed Seminole, Volusia and Flagler counties before ending in St. Johns County. WFTV reported the pursuit reached speeds of more than 115 mph and ended with a PIT maneuver on Interstate 95 North, where Florida Highway Patrol arrested him around 10:35 p.m. Saturday. He was later booked into the Volusia County Corrections facility, and his charges include arson, burglary, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest with violence and criminal mischief involving religious property.

A judge denied Phanouvong bond on May 4, calling him a danger to the community. WFTV reported that worshippers said he had worshipped at the temple before relocating to Atlanta, adding another layer of alarm for members who now must confront the destruction of a sanctuary they had welcomed him into.