A Florida man is accused of shooting at a driver who stopped to help him on the side of the road, with five rounds striking the victim’s vehicle.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies responded to the shooting before 1 a.m. on Sept. 29 near Main Street and Grovewood Avenue.
The victim was driving eastbound on Main Street when a man walking along the side of the roadway flagged him down by waving a flashlight. The driver stopped, believing the man needed his help.
Apparently, that wasn’t the case. The man instead opened fire on the victim’s vehicle, striking it five times before the victim was able to drive to a nearby gas station uninjured and contact law enforcement.
Identifying the Suspect
HCSO says detectives investigated the shooting and identified the man who fired the shots as 32-year-old Franklin Windham.
Investigators eventually obtained a search warrant for Windham’s residence. Inside the home, detectives found a firearm that was the same caliber as the weapon used in the shooting.
Booking information shows that Windham was subsequently arrested and booked into the Falkenburg Road Jail at 7:36 p.m. on Sept. 30. He is currently being held without bond.
HCSO has not disclosed a possible motive for the shooting, saying the man fired the rounds at the victim “for unknown reasons.” Authorities also have not publicly identified the driver who stopped to help Windham.
It’s also not clear what exactly led detectives to identify Windham as the shooter, only that they searched the area and identified him “through investigative means.”
He Faces Multiple Felony Charges
Windham is facing several charges stemming from the shooting, including attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and discharge, shooting at, within, or into a vehicle, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon involving a firearm and discharge.
He is also charged with discharging a firearm in public or on residential property, criminal mischief involving $1,000 or more, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Sheriff Chad Chronister said the victim’s kindness was met with violence.
“This man saw someone he thought needed help and stepped in. His kindness was met with violence,” Chronister said. “The suspect has been charged with attempted murder and will face the consequences for his actions.”
HCSO said the investigation remains active, and additional updates will be released through its Public Affairs Office.
Windham did not have a court date listed as of publication. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.