CRESCENT CITY, Fla. – A Putnam County man who fired a shotgun at three teenagers and hid their truck was arrested late Tuesday night and charged with three counts of aggravated assault and once count of vehicle theft, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
Ronald Eugene Byrd was released after posting $5,516 on the four charges.
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Byrd, 63, told police the teens were trespassing on his property.
According to a police report, the three teens arrived at what they thought was public property off Silver Pond Road near Crescent City in a pickup truck belonging to the father of one of the teens. The teens told police they parked the truck to unload a paddle boat and go fishing. They said as they were returning to shore after fishing on the lake, they noticed the truck was missing and they spotted Byrd standing on the shore with a shotgun.
According to the victims, as well as another witness, Byrd began yelling at the teens, accusing them of trespassing. He then reportedly fired at least two shots in the area of the teens. According to an independent witness, Byrd's wife arrived in another car and took the shotgun from her husband and then left the area.
An investigation found that Byrd had moved the truck some distance from where it had been originally parked, police said.
The truck and shotgun were later recovered by detectives and Byrd was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, as well as unlawfully taking the pickup truck.
He was booked into the Putnam County Jail without further incident.