Background: Sammie Underwood III is apprehended by Bay County Sheriff’s deputies (Bay County Sheriff’s Office). Insets (top to bottom): Sammie Underwood III and Ricki Brown (Bay County Sheriff’s Office).
A man from Florida is facing nearly 20 felony charges after he reportedly fired shots at his ex-girlfriend, injuring her 7-year-old son, under the mistaken belief she had another man in her car.
Sammie Underwood III, aged 32, was taken into custody on Monday, two days following his emergence as a suspect in a purported shooting involving his former partner and her two children. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office stated that police had responded to reports of gunfire in Panama City on the night of August 9, where it was discovered a 7-year-old boy had been transported to a local medical facility with a gunshot injury.
Upon interviewing the boy’s mother, law enforcement officials found out she was Underwood’s ex-girlfriend and that he had allegedly confronted her at WS Crab House during a meeting. Based on arrest documents reviewed by Law&Crime, Underwood alleged his ex-girlfriend of having another man with her in her car.
The affidavit revealed that the woman rejected the accusation of being with another man, asserting she was at the establishment with her children. Underwood allegedly “became extremely irate,” prompting her to return to her vehicle with her kids and drive away.
Authorities reported that Underwood then followed the family in his vehicle and allegedly attempted to “run her off the road.” While pursuing them, Underwood reportedly opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun. The affidavit claims Underwood “fired multiple rounds into the air” during the chase and eventually pulled up beside the woman’s car, “brandishing a firearm.”
The woman told police that she heard one shot, followed by the sound of her son “screaming.” Her other child told her that they “saw blood.” Upon realizing her son had been shot, the mother drove to her sister’s house nearby; the two sisters brought the 7-year-old to the hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. According to police, the bullet “struck bone before lodging in the middle of his back.” The boy is expected to recover.
According to the mom, Underwood drove off after the alleged shooting. He was tracked down at an apartment two days later, at which point he was arrested without incident. Police noted that he had a number of narcotics in his possession at the time of his arrest.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office also arrested 31-year-old Ricki Brown, who allegedly helped Underwood flee the area and allowed him to stay at her home to hide from police. She also allegedly helped Underwood get rid of his gun. Brown was charged with accessory after the fact to a second-degree felony, as well as a probation violation and possession of marijuana. She is in custody at the Bay County Jail on $100,000 bond.
Underwood faces 17 felony charges, including four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, discharging a firearm into an occupied conveyance, five drug charges, and leaving the scene of an accident. He is being held without bond at the Bay County Jail.
