No bail for man charged in Polk shooting rampage

A Polk County judge denied bail for an Auburndale man deputies say went on a bizarre alcohol-induced shooting rampage from his car early Saturday morning on U.S. Highway 92, firing randomly at three vehicles, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

One of the people shot was a man who had just graduated from Auburndale High School; he was struck in the posterior while riding as a passenger with his family, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
A second victim, a woman at the wheel of the second car, was shot in the face, Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Also, a male at the wheel of the third vehicle was run off the road after the shooter yelled a racial epithet at him, Judd said.

Eventually, the suspect - identified as Robin Quintin Parks, 51 -- was arrested on five counts of attempted murder and one count of battery with a deadly weapon. It was unclear what his motives were.

"We can only imagine and we can't sufficiently imagine the panic in each of our victims as this wild man drives down Highway 92 between Lakeland and Auburndale shooting randomly and accurately into our victims' vehicles," Judd said at a news conference.

Parks, who was laid off from the U.S. Postal Service recently, and who had a blood-alcohol percent of .22, claimed he was merely trying to protect himself as his alleged victims were shooting at him, and that he had only shot into the air, Judd said. A driver is presumed drunk if his percentage is .08 or above.

"His statements are bizarre," Judd said. "They have no merit."

The rampage began at 12:30 a.m., near the intersection of U.S. Highway 92 and Gary Road in Lakeland, according to Parks' arrest affidavit. While at the wheel of his 2003 Toyota Corolla, Parks fired two rounds from a .357-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver at a 2004 Dodge minivan that, like the Corolla, was travelling east, the affidavit says.

In the minivan was the Tucker family, who had just attended high school graduation ceremonies at Auburndale High School, Judd said.

The first bullet hit the left rear quarter panel near the gas tank cover; the second pierced the door and struck the posterior of Zachery Chase Tucker, the family member who had just graduated, Judd said. The family turned around and ended up at a business where there happened to be some Lakeland police officers.

Meanwhile, Parks continued driving east, Judd said. Two minutes after he shot at the Tucker family, he fired at least one round at a Kia Sedan driven by Katrina Hines, the affidavit says.

The bullet shattered the front driver's side window, went into the left side of the upper bridge of her nose and went out her cheek, the affidavit says. There is some question whether she will be able to keep the use of her left eye, the document says.

Hines screamed for help and was helped by a passerby who dialed 911, Judd said. In a matter of moments, deputies from two separate sheriff's districts were converging on the crime scenes, Judd said.

Three minutes after that shooting, a different motorist, identified as Robert Handy, heard something strike the Malibu he was driving on U.S. Highway 92, Judd said. When he lowered his right rear window, to see what the source of the noise was, Parks yelled a racial epithet at him and rammed the Malibu with his car for up to a mile and a half, according to Judd and the affidavit.

Parks eventually lost control of his car which ended up in a culvert, the affidavit says. He was taken into custody soon afterward, Judd said.

Judd said Parks had a couple of previous drunken driving charges.
Hours later, when Parks was paraded before television crews and placed into the back seat of a squad car, his responses to reporters' questions were contradictory. He expressed remorse, but then he said he thought his victims were after him.

"I'm terribly ashamed of myself," Parks said at one point. At another, "I thought someone was after me."

WFLA News photographer Rugene Moore contributed to this report. Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.