Staff Reports
A Lake City man was arrested Friday in connection with a June 25 fatal shooting at a Chevron gas station off Interstate 10.
According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) release, on Friday a grand jury returned an indictment for one count of manslaughter while armed and one count of possession of an altered firearm against Michael Andrew Smith, 35, of Lake City.
Smith was already in custody following the fatal shooting of Kendrick Jerry, 47, of Lake City at the Chevron gas station located on US Highway 441 off the I-10 exit. The incident occurred on June 25. CCSO deputies learned that Smith and Jerry were involved in an altercation prior to the shooting.
On Friday, the grand jury was presented with evidence and facts from the case before presenting the indictment against Smith.
“With current stand your ground laws, we did not want to pursue criminal charges prematurely in this case,” said Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter in a statement. “After consulting with the State Attorney’s Office, we agreed that the best way to proceed was to let a grand jury of Mr. Smith’s peers decide on what charges, if any, would be appropriate.”
Smith was booked into the Columbia County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond. A trial date has not yet been determined.