Fountain man arrested on two counts of attempted murder

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)–A Fountain man is behind bars on two counts of attempted murder after a shooting Monday night. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect shot at a car several times before being apprehended, all while a two-year-old was in the backseat.

On Monday, Deputies received a call from a man who was driving to his home on Dickerson road in Fountain when he noticed a car parked on his road facing the wrong direction. As he passed the vehicle facing the wrong way, the victim noticed the man driving the vehicle was scowling at him and appeared angry. The driver then exited the vehicle and began firing with a shotgun.

Authorities say the shooter, 57-year-old Terry Lee Smith, fired at the vehicle and shattered the rearview window.

“So, of course, that scared him [the victim], he drove to his home very quickly, got the baby out, handed the child off to a family member, and said please call 911,” said Bay County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, Ruth Corley.

Corley says the child was not injured. The driver then got back into his car and followed the shooter.

“I wouldn’t say a chase ensued but he was kind of staying far away from the shooter but he was following him trying to get a tag number,” Corley said.

The shooter then fired again, shattering the victim’s front windshield.

“That’s when he thought ‘I need to go make contact with the deputies’ and he was able to describe the car very well as well as the man inside that was shooting,” Corley said.

Deputies arrived on the scene and tracked down Smith’s car, later finding him at his home. No one was injured. The Sheriff’s Office says those involved did not know each other before the shooting.

Terry Lee Smith was taken to the Bay County Jail without incident. He’s been charged with two counts of attempted murder.

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