Deputies track down attempted murder suspect

42-year-old shot at man pumping gas at Wells Road station, deputies say

ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A 42-year-old Clay County man is accused of shooting at another man while the victim was pumping gas at an Orange Park gas station, according to deputies.

Lester Washington is charged with attempted murder, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said.

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According to the sheriff's office, Washington pulled up beside the victim, 20-year-old Jorge Rentas, about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday while Rentas was trying to pump gas at a Kangaroo station on Wells Road at Debarry Avenue.

Rentas told deputies that Washington got out of his car, walked up to Rentas and asked Rentas about buying marijuana. The two started arguing, and Washington left the parking lot in his car, deputies said.

As he drove onto Wells Road, Washington pointed a handgun out of the window and fired several shots toward Rentas, deputies said.

One of the rounds hit the windshield of Rentas' vehicle, and two others hit a vacuum machine and a trash can near Rentas. No one was injured by the gunfire.

Twenty units responded to investigate the attempted murder and try to find the shooter, the sheriff's office said.

The deputies were given a description of Washington's vehicle and were told he headed in the direction of the Wells Ridge Apartments in the Debarry Avenue area.

They found the vehicle and Washington in less than 20 minutes, the sheriff's office said.

Washington and a female passenger in the vehicle were both identified by Rentas and another witness, deputies said.

Shell casings were in plain view inside the vehicle, and a firearm was also recovered as evidence, deputies said.

Clay County Sheriff's Office Robbery-Homicide detectives are investigating the case.