Florida law enforcement has arrested 51-year-old Singhasouk “Danny” Phanouvong after he was accused of setting fire to the Wat Navaram Buddhist Temple in Sanford, which left the worship area and the monks' living quarters severely burned.
According to reports from the Sanford Police Department, the incident occurred around 9:30 PM on May 2. When police arrived at the scene, alarms were sounding throughout the temple grounds, and several areas were engulfed in heavy flames. Witnesses and security cameras captured the suspect throwing objects into the temple before the fire broke out.
Police stated that Phanouvong fled in a vehicle when ordered to stop. The pursuit spanned several counties, including Seminole, Volusia, and Flagler, before the Florida Highway Patrol coordinated to stop the vehicle using a PIT maneuver in St. Johns County.
Following the fire, Wat Navaram was left with shattered glass, toppled statues, and charred living quarters. An attorney representing the temple said the suspect had been involved with the temple since childhood and was known to the local community.
Phanouvong currently faces charges of fleeing from law enforcement and resisting an officer with violence. A Volusia County judge ordered him held without bond, stating that the suspect "poses a danger to the community."
