Islamorada man charged with resisting deputies after shooting incident

An Islamorada man suspected of firing a gun at a crocodile Monday was arrested after he became violent and confrontational with Sheriff’s deputies investigating the incident.

Deputies responded to Venetian Way at 4:15 p.m. to multiple reports of gunfire in the area. A witness who lives there told deputies he saw a man with what looked to him like an assault rifle firing into the canal near his home. He said the man was in a black or dark blue older model Chevrolet Silverado truck with a crew cab, chrome rims and a tool box in the back. He said the man never got out of the truck and was shooting from inside. He said the truck turned onto Venetian way, which is a dead end street. He said he never saw the truck leave. Twelve bullet casings from a 9mm weapon were found in the area where the witness saw the shooting take place.

During a canvas of the area, a truck fitting that description was found at 186 Venetian Way, in the driveway. The hood of the truck was warm, indicating it had been recently driven.

Deputies knocked on the door. They spoke with the registered owner of the truck, 51 year old Bond Ferrer, who denied driving the truck and denied firing any weapons into the canal. When the deputies mentioned someone shooting at a crocodile, Ferrer became agitated and began to list neighbors whose animals have been killed by a crocodile.

As deputies continued to question Ferrer, he became more and more agitated. He began yelling obscenities at the officers. At one point, he went inside the house, then walked out carrying a .45 caliber handgun in his hand. He chambered a round in the gun, then dropped the magazine out of the gun. After repeated commands to drop the gun, he finally set it down on the ground.

As deputies were patting him down for further weapons, he suddenly charged at one officer, yelling profanities at him. He was handcuffed and taken into custody for his out-of-control actions, charged with resisting law enforcement officers.

As deputies talked with his wife, he continually yelled at her not to talk. Further investigation turned up another witness who was on her porch and saw the black truck and heard the gun fire.

No one deputies spoke to could positively identify Ferrer as the person driving the truck and shooting the gun. Investigations continue. Ferrer was booked into jail on the resisting charge.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]