NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — Two men in Florida face attempted murder charges for allegedly shooting each other's daughters during an apparent road rage incident on a highway earlier this month.
The Nassau County Sheriff's Office said William Hale, 36, and Frank Allison, 43, were charged last week with attempted second-degree murder for the Oct. 8 incident on U.S. Highway 1 in Nassau County, the Associated Press reported.
During a press conference, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said both men were driving in separate vehicles with their families when the dispute began.
Leeper said the men were both driving erratically, playing what appeared to be a "cat and mouse" game, and brake-checking each other.
"At some point, the driver of the Dodge Ram got up alongside the Nissan, rolled down his window, and began shouting at the driver and telling them to pull over," Leeper said during the news conference.
Leeper said the front passenger of Allison's Nissan put her arm outside the window and allegedly made an obscene hand gesture towards the other vehicle using her middle finger.
Allison told deputies that after a water bottle was thrown into his vehicle, he fired his handgun at the truck before driving off, Leeper said.
"Allison said the reason he fired his gun was to get out of the whole situation," Leeper said during the press conference.
Leeper said Hale's 5-year-old daughter suffered a wound to her upper calf.
Hale told deputies he heard a "pow" but didn't think much of it until everyone began freaking out in the back seat, Leeper said.
Leeper said Hale then drove after the Nissan and began firing several shots from his handgun, emptying his magazine.
At least three bullets hit the Nissan, one of which struck Allison's 14-year-old daughter, who was sitting in the backseat, Leeper said.
Leeper said she suffered a collapsed lung.
Leeper said that both drivers eventually pulled over, and the girls were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
