17-year-old charged as adult for allegedly firing shots at a family in Ocala
A 17-year-old boy accused of shooting at a family in Ocala nearly two weeks ago, made his first appearance in front of a judge on Thursday.
Wearing a brown top and red pants, the teenager, who was sitting at the back of the Marion County Jail, made his way to the podium to answer questions from retired Circuit Judge Hale Stancil. Told he was charged with four counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a delinquent, the teen said he did not understand the charges.
Stancil told him he could spend up to life in prison for the offenses. After asking the minor several questions, the judge appointed the Public Defender's Office to represent the juvenile. His bail was set at $205,000.
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Charged as an adult
Assistant Public Defender A. Antonio Tomas warned the boy not to talk about his case to anyone except his lawyer. He also told him not to discuss his case on the phone because it's recorded.
The juvenile's name is not being released by the Star-Banner because of his age.
An Ocala resident, the minor was charged as an adult by prosecutors after reviewing his file.
Taken into custody on March 19, the boy has been held without bail at a juvenile facility. Prosecutors have decided to charge him as an adult so he was transferred to the county jail on Wednesday afternoon. At the jail, he will be separated from the adults.
Shots fired
Ocala police received a call on March 19 about a shooting along Northwest Fourth Street. Officers were told that someone fired shots in the direction of a woman and her four children.
The caller said the gunman got in the passenger's side of a Dodge Ram pickup truck with silver wheels and it drove away.
Officers recovered shell casings in the area of Northwest 12th Avenue and Fourth Street.
Detective Ronnie Williams interviewed a witness who said he recognized the person who fired the shots. He identified the alleged shooter by his nickname.
The detective was told that the victims were playing football in an open field when a black pickup truck stopped at the stop sign at NW 12th Avenue and Fourth Street. A witness told the detective that he saw the teen standing by the stop sign armed with a gun.
The witness said the juvenile allegedly fired shots at the family although no one was injured. The detective was told that the teen and one of the family members had a disagreement in the past.
The juvenile was taken into custody on March 19. His next court date is scheduled for May.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Boy, 17, charged as adult for allegedly firing shots at Ocala family
