By Samantha Joseph
Staff writer
MARTIN COUNTY -- A man returning home from an evening at the rodeo frightened residents when he "fired several shots out the passenger side window" of a dark-colored Cadillac, investigators said.
Damaso Pineda Jr. of West Palm Beach also had a "leafy green substance" -- later identified as marijuana -- in the car console, as he and a friend travelled eastbound on southwest Warfield Boulevard, according to his arrest affidavit.
After investigators stopped the car eyewitnesses came to the Indiantown substation to identify the man who was shooting through the car window.
Investigators found two Taurus handgun s-- one black, one silver -- and about 14 spent shells.
Mr. Pineda took all the blame. He said he and the driver were driving home from the rodeo in Okeechobee when he grabbed "the handgun from underneath his seat and fired several shots out the passenger side window," according to the affidavit.
He told investigators where they'd find the smoking gun.
He said the other man didn't know about the guns or drugs.
Mr. Pineda, 24, of 1695 Plantation Lane, West Palm Beach, faces three felony charges.
Investigators charged him with discharging a firearm in public and two counts of carrying a concealed weapon.
He also faces a charge of possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, a misdemeanor.
At press time, Mr. Pineda remained at the Martin Count Jail pending $30,750 bond.