2 men shot each other's daughters during a road rage incident, but only one is charged with attempted murder and 'throwing a deadly missile'

After two men reportedly accidentally shot each other's daughters in a road rage incident, only one of the men is facing prosecution for attempted murder, among other charges.

As reported in October 2022, William Joseph Hale, 35, and Frank Gilliard Allison, 43, engaged in what one witness described as "a cat and mouse game" of one-upsmanship.

A series of "brake checking" ensued as Hale, in a Dodge truck, and Allison, in a Nissan SVU, began "speeding and driving recklessly," according to reports.

After Allison's wife gave Hale the middle finger, Hale allegedly became the greater aggressor. Allison, his family members, and an independent witness all told police that Hale began chasing Allison and trying to run him off the road. Hale also threw a water bottle into the driver's side window of Allison's vehicle.

Allison then allegedly grabbed his gun and aimed at the lower rear bed of Hale's truck and fired. The bullet hit Hale's 5-year-old daughter in the leg. In response, Hale emptied his Glock 43 into Allison's vehicle, saying, "It was an instant reaction."

Seven or eight rounds were fired, one of which hit Allison's 14-year-old daughter in the back.

Both men were originally charged with felony attempted murder.

In April 2023, however, Hale is the only man facing charges, according to Yahoo News. The water bottle toss and attempts to run Allison's vehicle off the road are allegedly what put Allison in a position to legally defend himself.

It "stunned me so bad I grabbed my pistol," Allison said of the water bottle. Allison also claimed that he fired at Hale's car to "get out of the whole situation."

"Florida courts have held that the throwing of a water bottle or similar object could form the basis of a forcible felony," Assistant State Attorney Christopher Roth Huband said in a deposition.

"The water bottle had liquid in it, and (Hale) threw it with malicious intent, clearly intending for it to enter the Allisons’ vehicle and possibly strike one of the occupants," Huband wrote.

"As such, the water bottle would qualify as a deadly missile," he added.

Hale has been charged with three counts of second-degree attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and one count of maliciously throwing a deadly missile.

Allison, however, is protected by Florida's stand your ground law, according to the Nassau County State's Attorney's Office.

"William Hale’s actions – both independently and collectively – justify Frank Allison’s use of deadly force against William Hale," the assistant state attorney declared.

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