CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – A jury has found 66-year-old Michael Regalski guilty of three counts of Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Firearm, one count of Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle, and one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence.
Regalski is scheduled for sentencing on September 19, 2024.
“The defendant’s actions were not only reckless but also a blatant disregard for human life,” stated Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “The evidence presented clearly demonstrated his intent to cause harm and his attempts to cover up the crime. Justice has been rightly served with this verdict, and we hope the outcome brings some measure of relief to the victims and their families.”
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The charges originate from an incident in April 2023, when Citrus County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a shooting call. Upon arrival, they found an adult victim and two juvenile victims on an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV).
The victims reported hearing two loud noises and stopping, thinking the vehicle was malfunctioning. One of the juveniles felt pain in their lower abdomen and discovered they were bleeding. The juvenile was stabilized and airlifted to a hospital for treatment.
CCSO’s Major Crimes Detective Roscoe Watts led the investigation and contacted Regalski, whose home was near the incident site. Regalski admitted seeing the ATV pass by his property multiple times while he was outside his garage.
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Frustrated by the noise from utility vehicles at night, he fired his Glock 40-caliber handgun at the ATV to deter them. After firing, he secured the firearm in his garage, washed his clothes, and showered. Regalski also claimed to have reviewed his home’s surveillance footage, which he said did not capture the incident, but he decided to erase it anyway.
Regalski was arrested and booked into the Lecanto Detention Facility. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Kaitlyn Mannis and Blake Shore.
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