Bradenton man sentenced to prison after hitting another man in the head with a machete

Michael Moore Jr.
·2 min read
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A 65-year-old Bradenton man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday in connection to a 2021 machete attack.

A jury found Juan Sardina guilty of attempted murder in the second degree during a two-day trial presided over by Circuit Judge Charles Sniffen at the Manatee County Judicial Center in downtown Bradenton, court records show.

Sardina was sentenced to 15 years in state prison out of a maximum possible sentence of 30 years, the State Attorney’s Office announced in a news release Thursday.

Prosecutors say Sardina attacked the victim with a machete on Nov. 8, 2021, striking him one time in the back of the head just above his ear.

Officers with the Bradenton Police Department responded to the call and saw a large crowd running away from 701 17th Ave. W, with several people pointing to Sardina, who they say also matched the description of the person described in the report.

Police detained Sardina and then located the machete behind a bush nearby after witnesses said they saw him throw it there, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Witnesses then led detectives to the victim, who was bleeding from the right side of his head.

The victim was taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital where he was treated for serious physical injuries, including a 2 cm deep laceration to the right side of his head and his left scalp being partially detached from the ear.

The victim was expected to be permanently deaf out of his left ear after the injuries, according to a probable cause affidavit.

When asked why he attacked the victim, detectives say Sardina told them that the man had stolen a bicycle and other belongings from him. He also said that he had been looking for him, according to a police report.

When asked if he was trying to kill the victim, Sardina responded “maybe,” according to an affidavit.

Detectives say Sardina told them he did not feel bad for attacking the victim, and when asked why he hit him in the head, he said it was because he could not see his arms or legs, “all I saw was his head.”

During the interview, investigators say Sardina used racial slurs multiple times in describing how he would kill the man.

“We are pleased to bring closure to the victim in this case and allow him to put this traumatic event behind him,” Tyler Egbert, assistant state attorney, said in a news release.