DELAND, Florida — Three teenage boys got the scare of their lives Thursday night as they drove their four-wheeler near DeLand, Florida. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office says a man pointed a gun at them and fired one shot when they passed by a home in the 600 block of Ridge Boulevard. No one was struck or hurt.
The teens (two are 16 and one is 15) had finished driving their four-wheelers on a trail and then headed down Ridge Boulevard at about 11 p.m. When they passed 620 Ridge Boulevard, they saw a man dressed in camouflage pants and a black shirt standing against a fence. Without warning, the man pulled out a silver revolver, pointed it at the trio and fired one shot. The boys immediately went to a friend’s house to report the incident.
The teens told authorities that 50-year-old Paul Smith had apparently been irritated with the boys for riding by his house on their four-wheelers before. But in the past he had only yelled and cursed at them.
Responding Volusia County Sheriff’s Deputies found Smith at his home at 2550 Lake Ruby Road, which abuts 620 Ridge Blvd. Authorities say that initially, Smith claimed he was asleep the whole time. But later he admitted to confronting the teens by just yelling at them. Then his story changed again to him pointing a finger at the boys when a firecracker had gone off somewhere nearby at the same time.
Smith was arrested without incident and transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.Smith was charged him with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.