Judge Rules Bradenton Road Rage Shooting Justified Under Stand Your Ground Law
A Manatee County man accused of second-degree murder in a 2024 road rage shooting has been released after a judge ruled the act was justified under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.
On Monday, Circuit Judge Frederick Mercurio dismissed the case against 27-year-old Jordan Glanz, citing insufficient evidence from the state to disprove Glanz’s claim of self-defense. Jail records confirm Glanz was released the same day.
The shooting occurred on July 10, 2024, in the parking lot of the Oneco Rose Bar on Cortez Road at closing time. According to incident reports, Glanz and 49-year-old Deondrick Anderson collided in a minor vehicle accident. An argument ensued, during which witnesses described Anderson as aggressive and demanding.
As tensions escalated, Anderson allegedly began punching Glanz, who was still seated inside his vehicle. Surrounded by a crowd and fearing for his life, Glanz fired a single shot, striking Anderson.
Glanz left the scene but promptly contacted 911 to report the shooting and request medical assistance. Anderson was transported to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
In his ruling, Judge Mercurio acknowledged that Glanz had been driving on a suspended license at the time of the incident — a criminal offense that could typically disqualify a stand your ground defense. However, the court found that the circumstances escalated so rapidly that Glanz had no safe avenue to retreat.
“The court further finds there was no reasonable opportunity for the defendant to retreat,” the judge wrote in his order, adding that the state failed to meet its burden of proof in showing otherwise.
The decision marks the end of nearly a year of legal proceedings in a case that has drawn attention to the complexities of Florida’s self-defense statutes and the circumstances under which deadly force can be considered legally justified.