Florida man accused of shooting flares at process server

William James Nash and Carole Plumley Harwood were arrested in the Florida Keys on Firday night. (Monroe County Sheriff's Office)

Credit: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

William James Nash and Carole Plumley Harwood were arrested in the Florida Keys on Firday night. (Monroe County Sheriff's Office)

A man in the Florida Keys is accused of firing a flare gun multiple times at two people attempting to serve civil process papers, authorities said. A woman at the same address is accused of resisting arrest, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

William James Nash, 79, of Cudjoe Key, was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, and one misdemeanor count of using a firearm under the influence of alcohol, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Carole Plumley Harwood, 75, also of Cudjoe Key, was charged with one misdemeanor count each of battery and resisting arrest without violence, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded to a home at about 8:30 p.m. Friday and found Harwood yelling at a man, who said he and another woman were trying to serve legal papers at the home, WBBH-TV reported. The man told deputies that Harwood charged at him before authorities arrived, the television station reported.

Deputies said the process server moved back to his car when Nash shot a flare gun at the man and woman from the balcony of the home, WPLG reported. The process server retrieved his legally concealed firearm and held Nash at gunpoint until deputies arrived, the television station reported.

The man, a process server, got his legally concealed firearm and pointed it at Nash while telling him to stop shooting. Monroe County deputies said more flares were fired, which narrowly missed the man with one bouncing off the hood of the car.

Nash admitted to deputies that he fired the flare gun, adding that he had been drinking earlier that night, WBBH reported.

Nash will be arraigned in court May 21, while Harwood will appear in court May 29, according to court records.

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