Staff report

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Stephen Charles Morton, 21, of Orange Park, was arrested yesterday and charged with firing a gun from a vehicle after allegedly shooting from his car in the presence of at least five people.

At about 7:35 p.m. last night, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call about an armed disturbance in the area of 4401 NE CR 234. The caller told a deputy that Morton had fired a gun from his car about 150 feet from a group of people and then drove away. Morton was located in the 5000 block of SE Hawthorne Road a short time later.

Morton reportedly said he had been picking up a friend when he got into an argument and heard a gunshot, then drove away. As deputies continued to question him about the incident, he reportedly said he was going to “go to jail anyways” and told the deputies that there was a gun in the glove box of his car. He then reportedly admitted that he had fired the gun while seated inside his car to scare the person he was arguing with. He also reportedly admitted that he did not have a valid driver’s license and had been driving the car.

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The gun was reportedly found in the glove box of the car. The arrest report states that the gun had not been reported stolen and that Morton does not have any previous felony convictions, but Clay County court records show that he was convicted of burglary, a third-degree felony, in 2021.

Post Miranda, Morton again admitted to firing the gun but said he did not intend to harm anyone.

Bail information is unavailable on holidays.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.