ORLANDO, Fla. – A 40-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a shooting last week at the Sonic restaurant on International Drive in the Orlando tourist district that left a teen girl wounded.
Albert Jason Cortes Jr., of Eustis, was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery with a firearm.
Orlando police said officers were called to the Sonic on March 8 and found the teen girl lying in a pool of blood. According to police, the girl suffered a gunshot wound to her upper right leg and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center in stable condition.
An arrest affidavit said a man and woman in an SUV were ordering food in the drive-thru when an argument broke out and the man threw a drink at some workers. It’s not known what prompted the argument.
The SUV pulled around and the man got out of the vehicle and was approached by the restaurant manager, the affidavit stated. The man punched the manager in the face and then began to fight with other employees, including the teen girl, police said.
A short time later, several gunshots were fired, and the teen fell to the ground after she was struck, according to police.
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The man was seen putting a gun into his pants and he got back into the SUV and drove off, police said.
An investigation later led authorities to Cortes, who was positively identified as the culprit, officials said.
Cortes was arrested and booked into jail.
At his first appearance before a judge, Cortes’ attorney said her client has lived in the area for 20 years and has no prior criminal offenses. She said Cortes is married and his wife is pregnant.
A judge ordered that Cortes could be released on a $10,000 bond, but said he cannot have any contact with the victim, nor be in possession of a gun or weapon. The judge also said Cortes is not permitted to return to the Sonic.
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