Merritt Island man shoots at 'reckless drivers' near his home, deputies say

Deputies: Man fires at vehicle passing his home on North Tropical Trail

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – A Merritt Island man told deputies he started shooting at drivers along North Tropical Trail because he was tired of their "reckless" driving.

Brevard County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to 2970 North Tropical Trail on Friday after reports of a shooting.

Deputies said in the arrest report they determined William Ulbricht, 51, shot at a vehicle driving past his home, occupied by three young men.

A neighbor's surveillance video showed responding sheriff's deputies drawing rifles as they moved in toward Ulbricht's home.

That specific part of North Tropical Trail near the Canaveral Barge Canal is a dead end, but Roy King said he's seen a lot of bad driving in the 28 years he's lived there.

"I think they feel like it's a dead end, it's a cul-de-sac. You don't get a whole lot of patrols here," King said.

King lives across the street from Ulbricht.

His surveillance system on Friday also showed a pickup truck driving quickly in reverse before peeling out.

"We heard the high-speed vehicle flying down the road," King recalled.

That driver said Ulbricht shot a handgun, hitting his friend's truck, and that he was not shot himself, but he drove away in a hurry because he was afraid for his life.

Ulbricht has been out of jail since Saturday on a $47,000 bond.

He's charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and shooting a gun in public.


About the Authors:

James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter. His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began. James is from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

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