Florida gunmen randomly shoot at drivers on I-79 later stating, “It’s time to go to war.”

Ryan Dickinson

EBRO, FL – Gunmen stopped their cars in the middle of intersections, according to police to lure victims into their kill zone. The shooting began after midnight on Route 20 in Washington County, Florida when a call was received by the sheriff’s department regarding a man who said he had been shot at.

Shortly after the first call was received, another call came in from a second victim reporting they had been shot at as well.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, the intersection of State Rd. 79 and 20 in Ebro is where the shooting spree began.

A, 21-year-old male, traveling Eastbound on State Rd. 20 came to an abrupt stop when he realized a 2003 Jeep Cherokee was parked in the middle of the intersection. The driver of the Jeep Cherokee, 38-year-old, Duane Lee Storey began firing rounds at the 28 ft. box truck.


According to the Sheriff’s Department, a Chipley resident traveling North on State Rd. 79 observed the vehicle parked in the middle of the intersection. The driver turned around thinking the vehicle was broke down. As he approached the intersection the suspect started shooting at him also.


Both victims immediately started backing out of the line of fire.

The suspect Storey returned to his vehicle and traveled South on State Rd. 79 towards Bay County.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office notified Bay County Sheriff’s Office of the incident and provided them with the suspects’ vehicle description. An alert Bay County deputy located the suspects’ vehicle traveling on Back Beach Rd. in Panama City Beach. The suspect fled from the Bay County deputies.

A short time later, deputies apprehended the shooting suspect along with his passenger, 41-year-old, Cody Sean Brelsford at the Port of Panama City. Deputies also recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several firearms and ballistic vests inside the suspects’ vehicle.

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Washington County deputies and EMS arrive on scene to find the driver of the box truck has sustained a gunshot wound to the neck. He was transported to a Bay County hospital where he underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. The driver of the other vehicle did not sustain any injuries. The suspect shot both vehicles multiple times disabling both vehicles.

Storey is being held in the Bay County Jail on charges of Flee/Elude Police- Fail to obey LEO order to stop, Aggravated Assault with deadly weapon and Trespassing-Property armed.
Brelsford is also being held at Bay County Jail on charges of possession of narcotics equipment and Trespassing- Property Armed.

Both suspects will face multiple felony charges in Washington County.

“This is a random act of violence,” states Sheriff Crews. The suspects did not know either victim of the shooting. According to statements provided to WCSO investigators, suspect Storey stated, “It was time to go to war.”

“I am very thankful no one lost their lives from the cowardly acts of this individual,” Crews said. “I am very pleased these suspects are behind bars for we may never know what their next move may have been.”

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