A Kissimmee man has been apprehended in connection with a road rage shooting that badly wounded one person earlier this week, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies from Osceola County say a road rage dispute turned violent on Cypress Parkway in Poinciana on Tuesday.
Investigators say 30-year-old Jose Gabriel Astacio of Kissimmee fired three shots from a handgun into a black Ford Expedition at the Cypress Parkway and Marigold Avenue junction. A 41-year-old passenger was struck in the face, while the driver received a graze wound.
Both men sought treatment at Poinciana Medical Center before being airlifted to Osceola Regional Medical Center, where the passenger was reported to be in stable condition.
Astacio was apprehended the next day in Hialeah with the assistance of Miami-Dade County deputies. Authorities say he was found with cash and narcotics and is being jailed on local charges.
He faces extradition to Osceola County on charges of attempted murder, discharge of a handgun from a vehicle, and shooting into an inhabited car.
Deputies have not revealed what caused the confrontation between the two automobiles. It’s also unclear if Astacio and the victims knew each other.
Road rage incidents are a common occurrence in Central Florida, with law enforcement authorities often warning drivers about increasing clashes on congested roads.
In a news release to FOX 35 News, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office claimed that it is “proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners, especially when those collaborations lead to removing violent criminals from our streets and making our communities safer.”
A Mercedes thought to be involved in the shooting was subsequently discovered in Kissimmee, hidden beneath a car cover near a home, according to deputies. The automobile is being processed as evidence.
The investigation is underway.