‘Only by the grace of God that they survived’: Pregnant woman shot in Palmetto road rage incident, deputies say

MANATEE COUNTY (WFLA) — A Riverview man is facing five counts of attempted first-degree murder after deputies said he fired seven gunshots at an occupied pickup truck on Sunday.

A woman who is pregnant with twins was shot three times, according to deputies. The man driving the truck and a 9-year-old girl in the backseat were not injured.

Vincent Steele, 50, made his first appearance before a judge on Monday. Two of his family members spoke to the judge on his behalf, including his daughter.

“My father has always been a good person at heart,” Steele’s daughter told the judge. “I wasn’t present at the incident, but when I got the call, I was just devastated when I heard it and I saw pictures.”

Deputies said Steele clipped the pickup truck as he was trying to pass it on U.S. Highway 41. The collision caused him to lose control of his vehicle, spin out and end up in a ditch on the side of the road.

“The driver of the pickup truck pulled over to check on his status. That is when the driver, our suspect , Vincent Steele got out with a gun and fired multiple shots into the vehicle,” said Randy Warren with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Hillsborough County court records show Steele was charged with reckless driving in the past.

“We know that there was a weapon also with the driver of the pickup truck. This was all part of our investigation of trying to determine who pulled out a gun. We know that the driver of the sedan, the suspect, is the one who fired multiple bullets into that car,” said Warren.

8 On Your Side spoke with the father of the minor who was in the backseat of the car. He sent us the following statement.

“The incident that occurred in Palmetto, Florida on Cinco de Mayo, where Vincent Steele attacked and shot my pregnant ex-wife while my daughter was in the vehicle, is outrageous. I was in shock when I heard the details of this offender causing an accident, then attempting to murder my daughter and her mother. It is only by the grace of God that they survived this unprovoked attack. I call on our friends, the law enforcement officers and detectives in Manatee County to work this case with all their might and the District Attorney to prosecute this violent offender to the fullest extent of the law. I call on the people of the State of Florida to step up and help the five victims in this case with recovery from this tragic event.

I am here to support Florida legislators in writing legislation to lock up similar offenders who use a firearm in a crime against women and children with legislation to lock such offenders away for life without parole. We must stand up for women, children, and the unborn.

Your prayers are welcome and requested. May justice be swift and direct in this case to make sure this offender is removed from society for life without parole. If anyone deserves life, it would be this coward who took it upon himself to fire a handgun into a vehicle with a pregnant woman and young girl. Please make sure that the bail in this case is set at an amount high enough to prevent this coward from ever seeing the light of day again. Thank you,” Travis Nelson wrote.

Steele is expected back in court Friday, May 10. At that point, there will be a full evidentiary hearing on whether or not he will remain in custody on a trial detention order.

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