A routine walk along Miami Beach turned into a near-fatal encounter after a man was allegedly slashed across the throat for refusing to hand over a cigarette or lend his cellphone, authorities say.
According to court records, 24-year-old Jack Daniel Gutierrez has been charged with aggravated battery with a weapon causing great bodily harm. He is currently being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
The violent attack unfolded on October 23, 2025, near the 1700 block of Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. Police say the victim was sitting near a lifeguard tower when Gutierrez approached him.
According to investigators, Gutierrez first asked the man for a cigarette. When the victim said he didn’t smoke, Gutierrez then asked to borrow his cellphone. After being turned down a second time, the victim believed the interaction was over and thought Gutierrez had walked away.
Moments later, police say, Gutierrez suddenly attacked from behind, striking the man in the neck with what officers described as a knife or bladed weapon. The victim felt an immediate puncture and then a terrifying rush of blood pouring from his throat.
Despite suffering a massive neck wound that police described as a laceration stretching “from ear to ear,” the victim managed to call 911 using a hands-free Siri function on his phone. Responding officers found him bleeding heavily and rushed him to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.
While his current condition has not been publicly detailed, investigators say the victim later identified Gutierrez in a photo lineup.
Police launched a search and arrested Gutierrez days later. Jail records show he was already on probation at the time of the attack, stemming from a prior weapons charge.
Gutierrez is expected to return to court on Monday as the case moves forward. Investigators have not released a motive beyond the alleged refusal to provide a cigarette or cellphone—an interaction that nearly cost the victim his life.