A South Florida woman says she survived a frightening and bizarre encounter after police allege a man struck her with his SUV when she refused to let him smell her feet.
The victim, who asked not to be identified, spoke with Local 10 News about the incident, which occurred Sunday afternoon at the Serena Hotel in Aventura. Police say the suspect, 28-year-old Elmoncy Sercle of southwest Miami-Dade, is now facing a charge of aggravated battery.
According to the woman, she had arranged to meet Sercle in order to sell him a pair of used sneakers. But when they met at the hotel, she said the exchange took an unexpected turn.
“When I got there, he just wanted to sniff my feet and I didn’t feel comfortable with that,” she said. “I mean, you could have my sneakers all you want. I mean, I don’t care. I’m not wearing them. And you know, they’re just stinky old sneakers. But people like weird things.”
She said Sercle then ran out of the room with what she believed were her shoes. When she chased after him into the parking area, the situation escalated. “He did a three-point turn and actually hit me with a car. Ran me over,” she said.
The woman told reporters she was lucky to survive the impact. “By the grace of God, I’m still standing today,” she added. She described the ordeal as both terrifying and surreal. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” she said.
“I’ve met a lot of people who have foot fetishes, obviously, and nobody has ever done anything to this caliber.” Police arrested Sercle on Thursday, several days after the incident. Investigators said his history revealed he has been linked to other cases involving a similar pattern of behavior.
Authorities have not released details on those past incidents, but said the suspect’s actions appear to follow the same unusual modus operandi. The victim, meanwhile, said she is still processing what happened but is grateful she was not more seriously injured.
She hopes sharing her story can serve as a warning for others who sell items or meet strangers through online platforms. The case remains under investigation as police continue to look into whether Sercle may be connected to other crimes in the area.