TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Teen Charged In Deadly 'Mud Hole' Shooting

ADVERTISEMENT

By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 8, 2008

Polk County sheriff's detectives charged a 19-year-old man with manslaughter in a shooting Saturday night at a place popular for mud bogging in Lake Wales that left another 19-year-old man dead.

The victim, Justin Thomas Bowen of 10440 Jim Edwards Road in Haines City, was shot in the head about 11 p.m., the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Joshua Plecenik

This morning deputies charged Joshua Plecenik, 19, of 5760 Water Tank Road, Haines City with manslaughter.

The sheriff's office believes an argument led to the shooting.
Bowen, Plecenik and two other friends went to a place known locally as the "mud hole" behind Warner Southern College.

The men got into an argument with three other people already there, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office said Plecenik got a gun from his vehicle and fired a shot into the air.

Plecnik either fell or was knocked down, and the gun fired again, the sheriff's office said. The shot hit Bowen, who was standing near Plecenik, and he died at the scene.

Share this:

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT