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Mystery In A Mushroom Field: Shooting Stories Differ

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 5, 2009

Christopher Sims

ZEPHYRHILLS - A predawn shooting in a field outside Zephyrhills left one man wounded, another under arrest for attempted murder and a puzzle for authorities, who say the victim is a suspect in a strangely similar incident that occurred Monday.

The shooting victims and the accused are all acquainted, and both victims are AWOL from the Army, said Pasco County Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Doll.

Christopher Gregory Sims, 18, was arrested today on a charge of attempted murder stemming from the shooting of Randall Ziegler, 19, in a field on Lane Road outside Zephyrhills.

Doll explained the sequence of events like this:

Sims and Ziegler were in the field around 5 a.m., hunting for hallucinogenic mushrooms, when Sims shot Ziegler once with a .22-caliber handgun, hitting him in the area around the neck and ear. Ziegler collapsed and was left for dead.

Ziegler regained consciousness, however, and went to a nearby house, where residents summoned authorities and an ambulance.

Doll said Ziegler was involved in a similar shooting Monday afternoon near Valley Oaks Golf Club, 8850 Wire Road, Zephyrhills.

In that case, Jason David Hise, 19, was shot in the chest with a .45-caliber handgun. Hise, also reportedly AWOL from the Army, was in a medically induced coma until late Thursday, when authorities were first able to question him.

Doll said Monday's shooting – which he said was committed by Ziegler - remains under investigation.

"Was it accidental, was it on purpose; we don't know at this time," Doll said. There are numerous witnesses to Monday's shooting near the golf course, but authorities are withholding their names.

Acquaintances who accompanied Hise to the hospital said he was shot by an unknown male but changed their story once authorities got involved, Doll said.

The medical conditions and Zephyrhills addresses for Hise and Ziegler were not available today.

Sims, of 5821 20th St. Zephyrhills, also told sheriff's investigators a third, unidentified man was in the woods at the time of Thursday's shooting.

"We're still investigating that," Doll said. "Stories have changed with different people."

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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