Willie Bowden

Two Mayo men were sentenced to 30 years in prison, plus court costs, for shooting into an occupied vehicle and other offenses at the conclusion of a trial held in Lafayette County, according to Lafayette County court records and State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister’s office.

Bricen Angelo Bowden, 28, and Willie Lee Bowden, 25, both of Mayo, appeared in jury trial on April 24, and both were found guilty of shooting into an occupied vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public. The charges stem from an incident that happened on Dec. 5, 2013, shortly after midnight, according to Lafayette County arrest reports. 

The reports state that a victim was driving a 2013 Chevy east on SW Willow St. in Mayo with two other occupants in the vehicle. As they approached a residence at 362 SW Willow St., a 2004 Ford was parked near the residence. Willie and Bricen Bowden exited the vehicle and both fired several shots at the victim’s vehicle, striking it multiple times. Bricen Bowden was firing an AK-47 style assault rifle and Willie Bowden was firing a semi-automatic handgun. The victim then sped away from the scene and the two Bowdens sped away in the opposite direction and crossed over Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. toward the old Kirbo school.

A short time later, the report states, Willie Bowden was observed by a witness as he picked up what was believed to be spent ammunition casings. When he spotted the witness he stated several times, “I see you” and “You feel me”, which the witness took to be a threat against her. Statements about the chain of events were all consistent, the report stated.

The witness also gave written statements about what she observed at the scene, which were in corroboration with the victims’ statements, according to the arrest reports.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission was called to provide K-9 services and the area around the old Kirbo School was secured, the report continued. A search was conducted and an AK47 style assault rifle was located behind the school underneath a mattress. The rifle had a live round in the chamber and a magazine inserted with 15 more live rounds in it. The rifle matched the description of the weapon that was given by the victims, the reports said.

At Willie Bowden and Bricen Bowden’s jury trial last month, the two were found guilty of all charges and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with 10 consecutive years of imprisonment on the charges of shooting into an occupied vehicle and discharging a firearm in public. Both were also sentenced to one year in the county jail with credit for time served.

The court further ordered that the Bowdens have no contact directly or indirectly with the victims or witnesses.