Brooksville man accused of shooting into neighbor’s home

BROOKSVILLE –
A .22 caliber bullet zipped through the thin tree line Sunday and punctured the wall of a mobile home.

Dale Whatley heard the shot ring out and almost simultaneously heard the bullet penetrate his house, authorities said. Whatley was in the room where the bullet traveled. Both he and his wife reported it to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies spoke with neighbors, including Clayton William Hillis, who lived behind the Whatley home at 24455 Duffield Road.

Thirty-three .22-caliber casings were found on Hillis’ property along with one .45-caliber casing and one .45 caliber live round, deputies said.

Hillis, 34, denied firing weapons and told deputies he had a criminal record, and therefore disallowed from possessing firearms, according to an arrest affidavit.

Deputies said he refused to allow them to search his home. They returned at 12:30 a.m. Monday with a signed search warrant.

Hillis was jailed on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled shotgun, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and culpable negligence.

He was being held Tuesday at the Hernando County Jail in lieu of $93,000 bail.

Deputies said they found damage to two oak trees along the south side of Hillis’ property. Two bullets lodged into the trees were removed.

“This would suggest the trees were used as a backstop or target for the operator of the firearm,” wrote Deputy Brent Stentz in his report.

When deputies searched the home, they found a J.C. Higgins model 20-12-gauge shotgun, a modified .22-caliber rifle and a handgun, according to the affidavit.

The shotgun had a shortened barrel and several rounds of ammunition – from .22 caliber to .45 caliber – were discovered in the closet of Hillis’ master bedroom, deputies said.

About 40 prescription pills, two small plastic bags containing marijuana and two electronic scales also were found in the house, Stentz stated. Hillis couldn’t provide prescriptions for the pills, according to reports.

Hillis was interviewed again about the shooting, at which time he admitted shooting his rifle and being the only one responsible for the bullet entering the Whatley house, deputies said.

Court records revealed Hillis has prior convictions on battery and firearms charges.

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