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Two Arrested After Truck Driver Reports Gunfire

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 25, 2008

TAMPA - TAMPA - Two Polk County men were arrested in Volusia County Monday, accused of shooting at a truck on Interstate 4, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

Jose Pagan, 24, of Winter Haven, was charged with shooting into an occupied conveyance and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Christian Santiago, 23, of Davenport, was charged with discharging a firearm in public and possession of a concealed firearm.

Jose Pagan

According to the sheriff's office, this is what happened while the truck driver was traveling eastbound on I-4 from Seminole to Volusia county Monday morning:

The incident started at 3:37 a.m. when the trucker from Pennsylvania, whose name was not released by the sheriff's office, called 911 and said that occupants of a blue car had fired at his direction.

The trucker was heard on the 911 tape saying, "I heard this bang, bang, bang. Just like that."

When the trucker entered Volusia County, the suspects' vehicle took an exit ramp but three more shots were fired as the car sped away. The trucker pulled over to the side of the road but did not find any damage to his vehicle.

Christian Santiago

"They just shot again at me!" the truck driver told 911 dispatchers.

Deputies tracked down the car matching the trucker's description and found Pagan, Santiago and two women inside. A search of the car revealed an unloaded pistol under the driver's seat and an empty magazine under the front passenger seat.

Santiago told deputies that he had been driving and Pagan had fired the gun from the back seat, the sheriff's office said. Why the gun was fired was not known, officials said.

Deputies released the two women who were in the car. Pagan and Santiago were being held Monday in the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach. The amount of their bail was not available.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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