Months after two fathers were accused of shooting each other’s young daughters during a road rage incident in Florida, prosecutors have dropped charges against the man who fired first.
As reported by First Coast News, Frank Allisson, 43, and William Hale, 36, exchanged gunfire last October, with Allison’s 14-year-old and Hale’s 5-year-old being hit.
Both men were arrested on Oct. 8, 2022 on charges of attempted second-degree murder. According to prosecutors, Hale was the aggressor, as he allegedly tried to run Allisson and his daughter off the road. Allisson responded by firing a single shot at Hale’s vehicle, which prosecutors believe was a “justifiable use of force” considering he “reasonably believe[d] that using or threatening to use deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.”
Hale, who prosecutors say drove his “vehicle in a reckless threatening or intimidating manner, which created a well-founded fear in Frank Allison that violence was imminent,” subsequently fired several shots at Allisson’s car.
Hale’s daughter was struck in the upper calf, while Allison’s daughter was hit in the back and suffered a collapsed lung.
Charges against Allisson have now been dropped, while Hale faces charges of seven counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and shooting or throwing deadly missiles.
Hale is scheduled to be arraigned on April 20. Both children are expected to make a full recovery.
