Skip to main content
Clear icon
72º

Bullet narrowly misses passenger’s head in suspected road rage shooting in downtown DeLand, police say

Daniel Duarte, 22, of Orlando, faces several charges

DeLand police car. (Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

DeLAND, Fla. – A 22-year-old Orlando man was arrested this weekend in DeLand in connection to a possible road rage shooting.

The shooting happened around 2 a.m. Saturday in downtown DeLand.

Recommended Videos



Daniel Duarte was arrested and booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on two counts of aggravated assault with intent to commit felony; firing a missile into vehicle; discharging a firearm in public; and direct/discharge of firearm from vehicle.

DeLand police said two people were driving on North Woodland Boulevard and came upon a red vehicle was traveling slowly in front of them.

As they approached the intersection of with New York Avenue, the driver honked several times at the red vehicle, police said.

The driver of the red vehicle then pulled into a parking space as the victims passed and moments later, the driver of the suspect vehicle extended his hand out of the window and fired multiple rounds, according to police.

At least two bullets struck the victim’s vehicle, with one round piercing the passenger’s hoodie and narrowly missing his head, police said. The driver and passenger were not hurt.

Detectives located the other vehicle less than two hours later and, with the assistance of Volusia sheriff’s deputies, took Duarte into custody. Police said a handgun was observed in plain view within his vehicle.

An investigation is ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest the shooting may have been a road rage incident, according to police.

Correction:

The headline of this story previously stated that the bullet nearly struck the driver, not the passenger. We regret the error.