A central Florida father and his teenage son were arrested over the weekend after deputies said they fired multiple gunshots at a woman who they thought was a home intruder - but was actually an innocent woman.
NBC affiliate WFLA-TV reports the incident took place Saturday morning in the city of Winter Haven, when 73-year-old Gino Colonacosta and his 15-year-old son were notified of an unknown person at their front door.
Deputies said a man had placed a package of medicine at the front door and left. They found a woman sitting in a car near the home, at which point Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies said Colonacosta pointed a .45 caliber firearm at her and told her to get out of the car.
“She thinks ‘he’s about to carjack me, he’s going to rob me,” Sheriff Grady Judd said.
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The woman, whose identity was not released, shifted the car into reverse as both Colonacosta and his son opened fire before she sped away from the scene.
“They shot at her seven times. She wasn’t hit,” Judd said. “During our investigation, we learned that one of the bullets — even though it didn’t hit her — went through the baby’s car seat and lodged in the driver’s seat of the car. Our victim was that close to death.”
Both Colonacosta and his son were charged with several counts, including attempted murder.
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“This ranks among the craziest stuff that I have seen in a while - and I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff,” Judd said.
