Man Deliberately Rams Truck into Home, Sets Fatal Fire That Kills His Wife

A San Diego man is facing a first-degree murder charge after authorities say he deliberately drove his pickup truck into his family’s home, sparking a deadly fire that killed his wife.

Stephen Coates, 62, was arrested in connection with the Dec. 29 incident at a residence in San Diego’s Bay Park neighborhood, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Police say Coates’ wife, 61-year-old Monica Coates, called 911 just after 7:30 a.m. local time to report that her husband had crashed his truck into their house. Neighbors also dialed emergency services, with one caller telling dispatchers they could hear screaming coming from inside the home.

Officers arrived within about 10 minutes and tried calling out to anyone inside, but got no response. Police said they could see smoke and a small fire inside the house, prompting officers to force their way in to check on the residents.

Inside the primary bedroom, officers found Monica dead with severe injuries consistent with burns. Stephen Coates was located in a bathroom with burn injuries of his own. He was given first aid at the scene before being taken to a local hospital for treatment.

San Diego Fire Rescue crews were called in to extinguish the blaze and shut off utilities to the home. Homicide detectives later determined that Stephen Coates was driving the truck when it slammed into the house and that he was responsible for starting the fire. San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team is now investigating the fire-related aspects of the case.

Police said Monica had a temporary restraining order against her husband at the time of her death. Court records obtained by NBC San Diego show she first filed for the order in November, writing that Stephen had become increasingly paranoid and believed she was conspiring with others to kill him.

In her filing, Monica said her husband’s paranoia had made him erratic and caused her to fear for her safety, explaining that he viewed her as someone he needed to defend himself against. She also alleged that he demanded access to her phone and online accounts in search of evidence of the supposed conspiracy and asked a friend whether he should arm himself with a shotgun.

According to the court records, Monica eventually fled the home but later returned after a neighbor warned her that the situation had escalated. She claimed Stephen had “booby trapped” the house and that Psychiatric Emergency Response Team officers had previously removed him from the home under an involuntary psychiatric hold.

In later filings, Monica wrote that she was seeking court protection because she had been told Stephen still believed she was a threat and that she feared he could do more harm given his mental state.

Online jail records show Stephen Coates was booked on Dec. 31 on a first-degree murder charge. A criminal complaint cited by NBC alleges special circumstances including arson and mayhem, and claims the killing was intentional and involved torture.

If convicted, Coates could face the death penalty or 25 years to life in state prison, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.