Nassau County man charged after wife shot at amid dispute

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Yulee man was arrested Friday evening after a domestic dispute over his wife's fidelity escalated into gunfire, according to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.

No one was hurt in the incident, but deputies noted the victim was visibly shaken up when they showed up at a home on Cook Road in Nassauville.

Recommended Videos



"He just shot at me," she said.

The victim said her husband, Joseph Yakunovich, pointed a gun at her and then fired several rounds as her vehicle was pulling away, including one that pierced her car tire.

Deputies said the victim showed them a series of holes in the dirt and they found four .45 caliber shell casings nearby, according to Yakunovich's arrest report.

A neighbor who witnessed the commotion told deputies he heard several gunshots. He said he went to help the victim because her tire had been shot out and was leaking air.

Yakunovich, 37, was gone by the time deputies arrived. The report said when he returned an hour later, he admitted firing a gun in his wife's direction because he heard she was seeing someone else.

According to the report, he told deputies he ditched the gun after leaving the scene, saying he tossed the firearm into the St. Marys River on the way to a friend's house.

Yakunovich is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting deadly missiles, evidence tampering, possession of a firearm with a domestic violence injunction against him and violating a domestic violence injunction.

As of Monday, Yakunovich was being held at the Nassau County jail in lieu of $280,000 bail.


About the Author:

Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.