Man sentenced to 40 years for shooting into occupied FedEx van in Okaloosa

A man who fired into an occupied FedEx delivery van in Cinco Bayou in September 2024, sending a bullet through the windshield inches from the driver, has been sentenced to 40 years in state prison, according to the State Attorney’s Office.

• Brian Quinones was sentenced Oct. 22 by Judge William Stone, who also presided over the trial. A jury found Quinones guilty on June 5, the State Attorney’s Office said in a news release Oct. 23.

The shooting took place Sept. 19, 2024, on Annison Court, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Two people were inside the FedEx van making a delivery when a man with dreadlocks driving a white truck with Aqua Pool logos pulled in front of the van and stopped, the Sheriff’s Office said at the time. The two told deputies the man fired two shots and then sped away.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, one bullet hit the passenger-side window frame and did not enter the van. The second went through the driver’s-side windshield and barely missed the driver, who ducked at the last second. The State Attorney’s Office said that bullet struck inches from the driver’s headrest.

Deputies spotted the truck and made a felony traffic stop. Quinones, who was 27 at the time, was driving, the Sheriff’s Office said. Inside the truck, deputies found a loaded 9 mm handgun in a bag along with another loaded magazine and personal items belonging to Quinones. Deputies also found marijuana between the seats.

At the time of his arrest, Quinones was charged with two counts of attempted second-degree homicide, two counts of firing a deadly missile into a vehicle and possession of marijuana. The Sheriff’s Office said then that the motive for the shooting remained under investigation.

Assistant State Attorney Jessica Giardina and Assistant State Attorney Rachel Gainer prosecuted the case on behalf of State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the shooting.