from CLJNews.com
KINARD, FL – A 51-year-old man was arrested after deputies reported that he shot at their unmarked vehicle while they were on patrol in the Kinard community Friday night.
Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputies Zach Ayers and Ryan Kever were following up on several complaints from citizens about drug activity in the area and were traveling along Coley Road around 10 p.m. when they noticed the beam of a flashlight on the north side of the road.
They slowed down to get a look at what was happening. Both then saw a “east, bright fiery light followed by an abrupt bang,” according to their report. The deputies said they then heard a “whooshing” noise from bullets flying near their vehicle.” Two shots were fired.
The two immediately left the area but returned a few minutes later, where they found a white pickup truck had been parked across the county road to keep vehicles from passing.
As they approached the shooting site, their red and blue emergency lights were activated to announce the presence of law enforcement.
A man in the white truck then responded by backing up into the driveway of the residence at 5432 Coley Road.
Deputies approached the truck, where they found Philip Richard Quaglina, along with several firearms including a black Springfield Armory AR-15 chambered in 5.56 mm.
Quaglina told them he had been night hunting possums with the AR-15 and had shot in the direction of the animals. When deputies replied that it was them he had been shooting at, Quaglina replied he had fired the gun due to “having issues” with unknown vehicles and drug dealers in the area. He told them that he was “taking care of it.”
The report noted that Quaglina smelled strongly of alcohol and admitted that he had been drinking before firing his gun.
He was taken into custody and charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, reckless discharge of a firearm under the influence of alcohol, shooting into or towards a vehicle and discharge of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
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