OKEECHOBEE — A local woman was shot in the neck while sitting on the front porch of her own home this week. On May 25 at approximately 12:30
a.m., Okeechobee City Police Officer Ramon Liberato was dispatched to Raulerson Hospital in reference to a drive by shooting. Detective James Pickering was notified and responded to the crime scene.

When Liberato spoke to the victim, she initially told him she had been out on her porch trying to get her boyfriend, Arthur Lewis, to come in the house. She explained he was locking up and making sure the gates were closed.

She said suddenly, she saw a flash and heard a gunshot. Lewis came around the corner of the house and she told him her shoulder was burning. When he saw her arm, he said they needed to get to the hospital, and the victim’s juvenile son drove them to the hospital. She told Liberato she did not know who could have shot her and did not see the car.

The victim’s son reportedly initially told Liberato he was inside the house when he heard the gunshot and ran outside where he saw  his mom was bleeding. He said he did not know who would do this to his mom.

Liberato asked Lewis to go to the house with him and show him where it happened, and the two went to the victim’s home. According to Liberato’s report, Lewis pointed out two different locations where he said the woman was standing when she was shot, but Liberato found no blood or evidence of the shooting in those locations. However, Liberato looked through a window of the house and saw blood splatter on the bed sheet and comforter, and the bedroom door appeared to be busted.

According to Pickering’s report, the bullet went into the victim’s neck, traveled through her body and exited out her right shoulder. Pickering spoke to the son, who told him his mother and Lewis had been fighting and the son got between them and punched Lewis to protect his mother. The boy said he did not see a gun or the shooting, but it happened about five minutes after he punched Lewis. Later, the boy changed his story and told Pickering Lewis shot his mother inside the house, and that was why the youth punched him.

After Lewis was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the victim told officers she believed it was an accident and not intentional.

Lewis’ bond was set at $100,000.