Man Accused of Firing Shots into a Neighbor’s Vehicle and Obstructing Investigation
LAKE WALES, Fla. – A Lake Wales man is facing multiple charges, including shooting into an occupied vehicle, after an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office determined he was the source of gunfire that endangered a deputy and struck a neighbor’s vehicle.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 23rd, at approximately 5:35 p.m., when PCSO deputies were dispatched to the area of Walk-In-Water Road and Cypresswood Drive following numerous reports of gunshots. The situation escalated upon the arrival of the first deputy, who was forced to take cover after hearing rounds fly over her head.
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Additional deputies arrived to assist in the search for the shooter. Their investigation led to the discovery of a Chevy Tahoe with two bullet holes, parked on Cypresswood Drive. The owner of the vehicle, who was uninjured, stated he was reaching inside his open tailgate when the shots struck his vehicle.
The source of the gunfire was traced to a nearby property at 8854 Oakwood Drive, owned by 31-year-old Jonatan Omar Amaria. Deputies found Amaria at the residence with four men he had hired for a remodeling project.
According to the report, Amaria was uncooperative during the investigation, verbally and physically resisting deputies and initially denying he had a firearm.
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He claimed to have only been target-shooting with a pellet gun. However, interviews with the four employees and the execution of a search warrant on the property painted a different picture.
Deputies located a .45 caliber pistol that Amaria had concealed in his van. An extensive search of the property yielded multiple shell casings. A witness also reported seeing Amaria shooting a handgun into a body of water next to his property.
Jonatan Amaria was subsequently arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and faces a series of charges, including:
- Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle (F2)
- Tampering with Evidence (F3)
- Discharging a Firearm in Public (M1)
- Resisting without Violence (M1)
- Culpable Negligence (M2)
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