February 25, 2008
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

SHOTS FIRED AT TRUCKER ON I-4 

“I heard this Bang! Bang! Bang! Just like that,” a scared semi-truck driver told a 911 operator early Monday morning as he reported that someone had fired a gun at him on I-4. A few minutes later, while still talking with the operator, he heard yet more shots ring out. “They just shot again at me! They just shot again at me!” he said. The victim then gave a description of the suspects’ car and said that it got off at exit 108. Nearby Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies were able to quickly find the vehicle, eventually arresting Christian Santiago and Jose Pagan and finding a pistol under the driver’s seat. Neither the victim nor his truck were struck during the ordeal. 

The truck driver from Pennsylvania dialed 911 at about 3:37 a.m. to report the first volley of rounds shot in his direction. He said that he didn’t know why the men in the little blue car had fired at him while traveling eastbound on the Interstate. The first shooting started between mile markers 100 and 104 in Seminole County. The trucker had noticed the car driving aggressively, and then heard at least three shots fired in his direction. By the time he called to report what was going on, he was in Volusia County and the suspect vehicle was still behind him. He let the 911 operator know that he was approaching exit 108 and a moment later saw the suspect vehicle take the exit ramp. Suddenly, three more shots went off as the car sped away. The victim pulled over on the road shoulder and inspected his truck with a flashlight, but didn’t find any damage. 

Meanwhile, deputies found a car matching the trucker’s description. Deputies stopped the car and secured the four people, two women and two men, who were inside. A search of the car revealed an unloaded 9mm pistol under the driver’s seat and an empty magazine under the front passenger seat. Initially, the occupants denied shooting at the truck, but after deputies made sure they understood how serious the incident was, Santiago finally told what happened. He had been driving, and his cousin, Pagan, had fired the gun at the truck from the back seat passenger side. Their motivation is not known. The two women who were in the car were released from the scene. 

Pagan, 24, from Winter Haven, was charged with shooting into an occupied conveyance and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Santiago, 23, from Davenport, was charged with discharging a firearm in public and possession of a concealed firearm. Both men were transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.