Florida authorities reported that a man pursued his ex-partner’s car, believing she was seeing someone else, and proceeded to shoot her son, who was sitting in the back seat.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Sammie Lee Underwood III, aged 32, three days after the shooting on August 12th.
Underwood’s former girlfriend informed deputies that they met at a seafood restaurant in Callaway on August 9 with her two children. During the encounter, he grew agitated, suspecting she had another man in the vehicle with her, as detailed in the arrest affidavit.
According to deputies, despite her denial, he was labeled as extremely irate and remained unconvinced. Subsequently, the woman took her son and daughter, left in her car.
According to the affidavit, the woman described how Underwood pursued them in his SUV, attempting to force them off the road and firing shots.
He was pursued and apprehended by officials who then discovered a variety of drugs in his possession during the arrest, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Underwood faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, discharging a firearm into an occupied conveyance, hit and run, tampering with evidence, grand theft of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of various drugs including fentanyl, hydrocodone, OxyContin, methamphetamine, and marijuana under 20 grams.
Authorities also revealed that a woman assisted Underwood by providing a ride and helping dispose of the gun post-incident. She is charged with accessory after the fact to a second-degree felony, violation of probation, and possession of marijuana under 20 grams.
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