Girlfriend Bails Boyfriend Who Threatened To Kill Her Out Of Jail, Then He Shot At Her Car

POLK COUNTY, FL — A 28-year-old Lakeland man is accused by deputies of threatening to kill his girlfriend of a few days, blow up her house, kill her dog and then kill himself, a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release said.

Joshua Carpenter faces charges of attempted felony murder with a weapon, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, use firearm during felony, burglary of occupied structure, tampering with evidence, violation of RPO (Risk Protection Order), burglary of unoccupied structure, grand theft, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana over 20 grams, keeping shop for drugs, discharge of firearm in residential area, criminal mischief, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to deputies.

Carpenters' parents, Diana Carpenter and Lawrence Carpenter, also face charges. Diana is accused of providing false information to law enforcement during a criminal investigation and violation of probation: sale of cocaine, maintaining a structure for drug sales, sale of marijuana, methamphetamine possession and paraphernalia possession, deputies said.

Lawrence faces charges of providing false information to law enforcement during a criminal investigation.

No one was injured, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Carpenter is accused of getting angry with his girlfriend and then pointing a gun at her followed by threats to blow up her house with a grenade on March 3. Three days later, authorities said, Carpenter broke into his girlfriend's home, stole her dog, broke her fence and took batteries from her security cameras. Deputies arrested Carpenter on March 6. The next day, the victim bonded her boyfriend out of jail, and they went out for drinks with a friend.

Following their night out, deputies said the three of them went back to Carpenter's house. Carpenter is accused by investigators of becoming angry with the victim, smashing her side-view mirror with his hand and shooting at her car five times as she drove away.

Carpenter's parents, Lawrence and Diana, told detectives they didn't hear any gunshots and the last time they saw him was that morning, a police report said.

Deputies saw on Lawrence and Diana's security cameras the couple reacting to the sound of gunshots and running outside. Video footage showed Carpenter shooting at his girlfriend's car, according to deputies.

Methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found inside the house, investigators said.

A friend of Carpenter's, 32-year-old Slater Cacace, was also inside the house and was arrested on multiple warrants from Tennessee that included violation of probation, failure to appear on drug charges and driving while license suspended. Cacac was on Polk County probation for burglary and grand theft and was in violation of his curfew, deputies said.