Cottage Hill Man Charged Firing Gun From His Vehicle On Kingsfield

December 7, 2011

A Cottage Hill man was charged after allegedly firing a gun from his vehicle multiple times on West Kingsfield Road.

John Williams Stuart, age 23 of Williams Ditch Road, was charged with discharging a firearm from a vehicle and criminal mischief with property damage of $1,000 or more.

Witnesses reported multiple gunshots fired from a pickup truck in the 2500 and 2600 blocks of West Kingsfield Road. Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Stuart’s truck on Kingsfield Road. In the truck, they found numerous 9mm rounds on the front seat, and Stuart admitted having a Rugaer 9mm pistol. He told deputies, according to arrest report, that he had fired the gun from his truck at the ground “at least two or three times”.

Deputies found several shell casings along a two-block area of Kingsfield Road, along with two road signs with gunshot holes in them.

Stuart was released from the Escambia County Jail on $15,000 bond.

Comments

15 Responses to “Cottage Hill Man Charged Firing Gun From His Vehicle On Kingsfield”

  1. mick on December 8th, 2011 4:21 pm

    To the aunt: You are like everyone else who makes the news on North escambia.com. You make your excuses for the loved one who used their Free Will to do something stupid without regard for the consequenses of their actions.

    No excuse for his actions just like theres no excuse for your lame stupid defense of this person relative or not.

    He might have made a mistake, A pre-meditated mistake… any of this getting through??? he needs to take responsibility for his actions…period.

    Maybe you can visit him in jail…that is where he belongs

  2. B.Bunny on December 8th, 2011 8:23 am

    @ uhh

    Please go back and read my response. I didn’t say the kid was a hardened criminal. I said he was a criminal and we both know their is a big difference between going 3-5 miles over the speed limit or a rolling stop and shooting a gun out of the window at a moving vehicle…at the ground or signs. Apples and oranges sweetie.

  3. Darko Sladovic on December 8th, 2011 8:21 am

    Cottage Thrill!!!!!!

  4. uhh on December 7th, 2011 11:53 pm

    Ohhhh, here comes more legislation to tighten gun laws! Go ahead and do away with the 2nd amendment.

    He probably did much more than shoot a few into the ground, but that doesn’t mean he was out necessarily trying to shoot someone! Not thinking about the consequences of your own actions was his problem. I’m not advocating people driving around shooting street signs by any stretch of the word… but IF YOU ARE.. there are better places than W. Kingsfield Rd is all I’m saying.

    B.Boney, using your same logic, I routinely go 3-5MPH over the speed limit, fail to come to a complete stop when I can see both ways at a stop sign, and have been known to drive without my ID on accident; so I am also a hardened criminal as well.

    “Firing a weapon in any direction night, day or direction is not only criminal but just plain stupid. ” Really? I hear that there are gun ranges around that advertise they are able to allow people to fire a weapon into certain directions both day AND night.. Don’t tell anyone though, I don’t want the police coming and breaking up my ‘criminal activity.’

  5. Kingsfield resident on December 7th, 2011 11:29 pm

    I am a resident on Kingsfield and I was in my living room with my 5 yr old daughter & 4 yr old son when this IGNORANT CHILD decided to come through our neighborhood “playfully” shooting. This is so silly just because they are cows, deer, peace and quiet out here doesnt mean that people and their small children dont reside out here. My daughter asked if everyone was ok outside when we heard the shots, I stated to her I wasnt sure but we would be staying inside. I hope he gets the book thrown at him but knowing his race he will probably receive a mere slap on the wrist and a new gun from mom&dad once he’s released from jail…so sad

  6. Everett on December 7th, 2011 10:53 pm

    To the “Aunt”

    Aunt said:
    “It was dark, did you see him fire at the signs or just aimless shot in any direction”

    -What your saying is he wasn’t aiming at the sign but firung at a specific area.

    “What happened to innocent, until proven guilty?”

    -The fact is he admitted to firing a weapon to the deputies

    It doesn’t matter what time he fired the weapon. It doesn’t matter what direction he fired the weapon into. Firing a weapon in any direction night, day or direction is not only criminal but just plain stupid.

  7. B.Bunny on December 7th, 2011 5:57 pm

    If it walks like a duck and looks like a duck it must be a duck. If this kid shot a gun from a moving vehicle he is a criminal. The guy admitted to firing the gun! Wake up and smell the coffee!

  8. mick on December 7th, 2011 5:55 pm

    Another example of a moron on the street…he should have his vehicle impounded ,sold for scrap and given 15 years in state prison… plenty of time for him to think about what a stupid person he is…the only good thing the money from the vehicle sle given to charity

  9. AL on December 7th, 2011 5:32 pm

    Andrea said in part “yes he may have acted very immature and reckless, but he is far from a criminal. I am not justifying the fact that he broke the law, ”

    He either is a criminal or he isn’t… breaking the law is criminal activity. Shooting a gun from a moving vehcile is against the law. If it was dark, how did dear sweet innocent fella know the shots wouldn’t ricochet and hit a home, car or child?

    Ignorance should be a chargeable offense.

  10. Darko Sladovic on December 7th, 2011 4:36 pm

    I live near there! There are plenty of residential units on Kingsfield. If he’s convicted, he’ll get probation most likely. He’ll have to get used to paying costs of State Probation supervision, court costs, lawyer’s fees, fines and the like. He has a few other things to look forward to: no more posession of firearms; possible loss of job; loss of driver’s license; oh, snap! I lost my voting rights too. You can pay dearly for this youthful magic moment.

  11. Andrea on December 7th, 2011 2:29 pm

    I really do think it is unbelievable that people would state that he is a dangerous criminal without knowing all the facts or him. This man is my cousin, and yes he may have acted very immature and reckless, but he is far from a criminal. I am not justifying the fact that he broke the law, but for people to comment and state he should be locked up forever is ridiculous. He didn’t harm anyone, but himself. Yes, the outcome could have been very different, but thank God it wasn’t. Everybody makes mistakes in their lives, and I am sure he will be paying for this for quit some time.

  12. Whatever on December 7th, 2011 2:17 pm

    Casting stones or not… he had NO BUSINESS shooting a weapon from his vehicle. He is over 18 (so called adult) and should have known better. He’s lucky somebody didn’t fire back!

  13. Aunt on December 7th, 2011 1:21 pm

    How you can you justify making statements like those.? What happened to innocent, until proven guilty? It is my understanding that there were gunshot holes in those signs prior to these allegations. This young man would not fire a weapon toward any direction that would possibly harm anyone. Those without sin, let them cast the first stone. He is in no way a dangerous criminal. It was dark, did you see him fire at the signs or just aimless shot in any direction? NO!!! Shame on you for judging before all facts are known!!!! I

  14. Char on December 7th, 2011 8:26 am

    Holes in the signs means he is a lier too and he did not shoot at the ground.
    He obviously has no regard for anyone else and would kill someone just
    for fun.

    I agree with the first poster, lock him up and keep him off the street
    forever.

  15. mom on December 7th, 2011 5:14 am

    What an idiot. Firing a gun out the window.? What if one of those bullets went through. Someones home and killed a child? I can tell ya he better not come by my home firing his little gun. I have a baby and if we are put in harms way its over for the person who makes that mistake ;)
    He needs to be locked away he is a dangerous criminal!