Two teenagers were arrested early Thursday morning after victims in Summerfield and Ocala reported being shot by paintballs from a moving vehicle.
Marion County sheriff’s deputies spoke with two victims Tuesday night in Summerfield who said they were hit by the paintballs while walking down a sidewalk. Both said they heard a “popping noise” and were then hit. One of the victims was struck in the back of the head and had a “growing lump,” a sheriff’s office report states, adding that her water bottle also was struck.
The second victim was struck in the back of the leg on her right calf. She had a fresh welt that broke the skin where the paintball hit her, the report says.
Deputies quickly identified 18-year-old Belleview resident Dylan Pilcher as a possible suspect and spoke to him at his house. Pilcher, who went to Belleview High School and has hopes of attending the University of Florida, told deputies he had picked up his friend, a 17-year-old juvenile who lives in the 17000 block of S.E. 23rd Avenue in Summerfield, and they drove to Belleview to get some food, the report says.
Deputies told Pilcher that his vehicle matched the description of the vehicle used in the earlier attack, as well as similar incidents being investigated by the Ocala Police Department, which Wednesday had released photos of a mid-2000s silver Audi A6 and asked the public for help in identifying the vehicle. Pilcher told deputies that he “only” drove the vehicle and the 17-year-old was the one shooting at the victims.
Deputies arrested Pilcher and then took the juvenile into custody a short time later. Pilcher, who lives at 12806 S.E. 36th Ave. in Belleview, was charged with four counts of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon and two counts of shooting a missile into a dwelling, vehicle, building or aircraft. He was being held on $60,000 bond and his next court date hasn’t yet been set, jail records show
The 17-year-old was transported to the Marion County Department of Juvenile Justice and is facing similar charges. It was unclear late Thursday afternoon if he was still being held or had been released to his parents.
