He threatened people with a handgun. Now Keys man is off to prison.
A Florida Keys man was sentenced to two years in prison for threatening two people with his handgun at a gas station in 2018.
Joseph Earl Skiver, 37, of Summerland Key, was clashing with a man at the Shell Gas Station on Summerland on Nov. 8, 2018, when he decided to display a gun tucked into his waistband.
Another man was also present. Both victims said they were in fear for their lives, according to prosecutors.
Skiver pleaded no contest to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and aggravated assault with a firearm on Dec. 18 at the Monroe County Courthouse in Key West.
Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Mark Jones then sentenced him to prison.
Assistant State Attorney Christine Poist handled the case.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the gas station in the 24000 block of the Overseas Highway at about 12:25 p.m. for a trespassing complaint.
The owner of Professional Marine said Skiver had been yelling obscenities at him and that he had been having problems with Skiver, police reported.
Deputies arrived to see a truck with two men leaving the nearby Shell gas station. Both men and the truck matched the description provided by the business owner.
While the deputies made a U-turn to follow the suspect vehicle, a man screamed at the deputies, warning them that the men in the pickup truck had a gun.
The deputies followed the pickup truck and it pulled over on Airport Drive. Asked if there were weapons in the truck, Skiver said yes and deputies found a revolver on the passenger side floorboard. Skiver had no concealed carry license.
Skiver has a previous conviction for preventing or obstructing extinguishment of fire.
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 3:27 PM.
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