Man Fires Shot Near SUV with Toddler In It, Police Say

TAVARES, Florida—An argument over an alleged affair led to an Apopka man firing a shot near an SUV with a toddler in it and landed the man in jail Thursday, according to an arrest affidavit.

Richard Joseph Kinchens, 39, pulled up in the front yard of a woman’s home Thursday at Palm Gardens Resort and began arguing with her because his girlfriend accused him of having a “fling” with the woman, she told Tavares Police Department.

A friend of the woman’s heard the argument and went to the home where he heard Kinchens call him a derogatory name, according to the affidavit. He confronted Kinchens as he walked to his car and Kinchens attempted to pull out. The man was blocking Kinchens in with his SUV and when he attempted to move it, Kinchens fired one shot in the direction of the SUV that had the man’s 3 -year-old son in it and another adult male. The bullet struck a trailer that was being towed by the SUV, the affidavit states.

Kinchens fled the scene in white hatchback and police received information Kinchens may be on Maplewood Street; they canvassed the area and found the car he fled in at a home and later contacted Kinchens by phone. He agreed to meet officers and denied shooting at anyone. He was taken into custody and found with a 9mm round in his pocket, he said he found. He was arrested for two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of possession of ammunition or firearm by a convicted felon. He was released on $24,000 bond.  

Scroll to Top