Winter Garden ATV shooter Ralph Hensel indicted on first-degree murder charges
Man indicted on first-degree murder charges for ATV shooting
The man accused of shooting and killing an ATV driver in Winter Garden now faces a first-degree murder charge after a grand jury indictment. The shooting happened last month near the Bay Point Apartments on Horizon Street.
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - The man accused of shooting and killing an ATV driver in Winter Garden is now facing a first-degree murder charge after a grand jury indictment.
An Orange County jury indicted 57-year-old Ralph Hensel last week.
Hensel is accused of shooting and killing Ja’Keem Williams, 32, while he was riding his ATV through a neighborhood.
Hensel is still in jail and being held without bond.
ATV shooting leads to neighborhood tragedy
The backstory:
The shooting happened on Feb. 20 at the Bay Pointe apartments on Horizon Street.
Officers responded to the scene just before 4 p.m., where they found Williams lying next to what they described as a "four-wheel motorcycle." Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Investigators determined the shooting stemmed from an ongoing dispute over individuals riding motorcycles inside the apartment complex.
Police say Hensel was angry about ATV riders in the neighborhood, and he was lying in wait for Williams.
According to an arrest report, Hensel told officers that if they did not stop them that he would take matters into his own hands.
Friends and family of Williams described him as a devoted father figure to five children, as well as kind-hearted, humble and non-confrontational. They said he was not one to seek out any form of trouble.
Photo of Ja'Keem Williams (left) courtesy of @Reallyher_05/@Nanaspage26_Backup | Photo of Ralph Hensel courtesy of the Orange County Jail
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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting, as well as information gathered in court documnets and hearings.