Dad Faces Life In Fatal Apopka Bus Stop Shooting

Suspect Claims He Wanted To Scare Child

Opening arguments are scheduled to begin Tuesday in the trial of a 41-year-old father charged with murdering one of his son's classmates at an Apopka, Fla., bus stop, Local 6 News reported. Clyde Blount Sr., 41, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Lonnie Hillery, 15. Hillery's son and 16-year-old Clyde Blount Jr. had reportedly been arguing for days. Their dispute erupted into a fist-fight Tuesday after they got off a bus from Apopka High. After the two Apopka High School teens were involved in the altercation, Blount's son went home and told his father about it. Police said Blount, who was reportedly angered by the story, got in a van with his son and drove up to the victim at the corner of 107 20th Street and Lake Avenue. When they found him a few blocks away, the father fired "several shots -- at least three shots -- at the other boy," hitting Hillery in the back, Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons said. Hillery later died from his injuries. Tuesday, the victim's family said facing Blount is not easy. "Looking at him is not the difficult part," victim's father Lonnie Hillery said. "Knowing that he is still there and they're able to communicate and talk and interact. And knowing that I don't have my son here to talk to and find out what his needs and problems are, that's the difficult part." Blount said his intention was to scare Hillery, not to hurt him, Local 6 News reported. He is charged with second-degree murder. Blount faces a maximum of life in prison.

(Local 6 article here)