PANAMA CITY, FL – A man was arrested this week and faces nearly 20 felony charges after allegedly opening fire on his ex-girlfriend’s car, striking her 7-year-old son, during what authorities say was a violent, jealousy-fueled confrontation.

Authorities say Sammie Underwood III, 32, was apprehended two days after the incident, which unfolded late Friday outside a Panama City seafood restaurant. According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to reports of gunfire and soon learned that a young boy had arrived at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound.

Investigators established that the child’s mother had previously been in a relationship with Underwood. Deputies say Underwood encountered his former girlfriend at WS Crab House, where he accused her of being with another man. The mother reportedly explained that she was only at the restaurant with her two children.

Tensions quickly rose, and the mother retreated to her car with her children. Law enforcement officials said Underwood got into his own vehicle, began to follow, and attempted to force her car off the road. During the pursuit, Underwood is alleged to have fired several rounds from a semi-automatic pistol.

According to official documents, Underwood shot multiple times into the air before pulling alongside the mother’s car, where he brandished his gun once again. Moments later, a shot rang out that struck the 7-year-old boy, who immediately began to scream in pain. The boy’s sibling noticed he was bleeding.

Reacting swiftly, the mother raced to her sister’s home. Together, they transported the injured child to the hospital, where medical staff treated him for a shoulder wound. Authorities said the bullet fractured bone before lodging in the boy’s back, but he is expected to recover.

Following the shooting, Underwood fled the scene, according to investigators. Law enforcement tracked him down two days later at a local apartment complex. Upon arrest, deputies reported discovering several types of illegal drugs in Underwood’s possession.

A woman police identified as Ricki Brown, 31, was also taken into custody in connection with the case. Authorities allege she provided Underwood with a place to hide and assisted in discarding his firearm. Brown faces charges including accessory after the fact to a second-degree felony, violating probation, and marijuana possession. She is being held in Bay County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

Underwood is being held without bond at the Bay County Jail. He is charged with 17 felony offenses, which include multiple counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery, and weapons- and drug-related violations. He is also accused of fleeing the scene of a crash and discharging a firearm from a vehicle into an occupied car.

The shooting investigation remains active as officers work to determine if additional charges may be warranted. The 7-year-old continues to recover from his injuries, surrounded by family.