Original Blog Entry: Man tries to shoot wife but shoots son instead

truesee — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:47:33 GMT

Man accused of shooting teen son in Ocoee to face judge today

Ocoee man Rafael Rodriguez, who is accused of shooting his teenage son in the ear, appears before a judge at the Orange County Jail on Monday. He faces attempted first-degree murder charges. (Orange County Jail, Orange County Jail / July 19, 2010)

Walter Pacheco

Orlando Sentinel

8:53 a.m. EDT

July 19, 2010

The Ocoee man accused of shooting his teenage son in the ear after attempting to shoot his wife will appear before a judge Monday afternoon.

Rafael Rodr guez, 44, is at the Orange County Jail on a charge of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm as well as a count of attempted first-degree murder.

He is scheduled to appear before Orange County Judge Deb Blechman sometime after 1:30 p.m.

Although Rodr guez is currently being held without bond, his initial appearance before a judge today will determine if there was probable cause for the arrest and if he can be released on a bond. Jail records show he is considered a violent offender.

Ocoee police investigators said the incident started after a heated argument between Rodr guez and his wife at their Palastro Way home Saturday night.

Records show Rodr guez had been drinking heavily that day and had become intoxicated and argumentative.

For some reason, he pulled out a .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol and pointed it at his wife. He did not fire the weapon. But their 17-year-old son, who was at home with his girlfriend, witnessed the alleged act and rushed to help his mother.

She told her son to keep away, but Rodr guez allegedly fired the weapon striking his son behind the ear, police said.

Investigators said the woman struggled with her husband after the shooting and took his gun. Rodr guez left the house in the family car and was found passed out on the side of the road near Apopka on Sunday at 12:40 a.m.

Rescue crews transported the boy to Arnold Palmer Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Det. David Gray of the Police Department said.

Court records show Rodr guez has a history of aggressive behavior and a domestic-violence arrest.

Ocoee police arrested him in 2009 on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic battery by strangulation and domestic violence battery.

The state dropped the case because his wife chose not to prosecute, court records show.

He also was arrested in 1998 on charges of resisting an officer without violence. The state also dropped that case.

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