PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — A Port Charlotte man is in jail after allegedly firing multiple shots at two solar panel salesmen who were leaving his property.
William Mark Williams, 71, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public following the incident on Monday, May 19.
According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, two men were going door-to-door on Boabadilla Lane in Port Charlotte, attempting to sell solar panel packages for their company when they encountered Williams.
When the salesmen knocked on the door at 13379 Boabadilla Lane, they were greeted by a woman who was upset by their presence and told them to leave.
As they began walking away from the property, the Sheriff's office says they suddenly heard multiple gunshots and turned to see Williams pointing a gun in their direction. Williams then fired several more times toward them. No one was injured in the incident.
The salesmen ran to a neighbor's home and frantically asked for help. The neighbor allowed them to move to her backyard while law enforcement was contacted.
"Once again we are called out to a neighborhood in which a firearm was discharged recklessly. Thankfully, nobody was hurt by this individual's actions, though I am sure the victims will not forget the fear they felt any time soon. This man's response to solicitors was absolutely uncalled for and could have been deadly. I pray that people can learn to regulate their emotions instead of jumping to violence so quickly," Sheriff Bill Prummell said.
Deputies arrived and detained Williams, who was positively identified by the victims as the man who had shot at them. The neighbor confirmed she had heard several gunshots just prior to the men pounding on her door.
After obtaining a search warrant for Williams' residence, detectives located multiple firearms and ammunition inside. They also found a spent shell casing on the ground outside as well as one unspent casing in the grass.
Williams declined to speak with detectives and requested an attorney. He is being held at the Charlotte County Jail without bond.
Charlotte County officials encourage residents to verify the validity of door-to-door salespeople and confirm they have proper permits. Concerns about violations of county ordinances regarding door-to-door selling can be reported to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 941-639-2101.
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