Neighbor's visit ends with one man shot, one in jail

Terry Haughton is recovering from a gunshot that broke his leg. His Moon Lake neighbor, Paul Allen Davis is charged with burglary and battery and being held in the Pasco County Jail.

MOON LAKE - Hours before the sun rose Tuesday, two neighbors fought in the woods in Moon Lake.

When it was over, one man was was flown to a St. Petersburg hospital and treated for a gunshot wound to the leg. The other was taken to the Land O'Lakes jail, booked on armed burglary and aggravated battery charges.

The men have different versions of what happened.

But the Pasco County Sheriff's Office believed Terry Haughton, who said his neighbor, Paul Allen Davis, came over to his house shortly before 4 a.m. and beat him with a flashlight.

Haughton said he pulled out his .45-caliber handgun in self-defense and fired a warning shot. He said Davis grabbed the gun and shot him in the left leg. Sheriff's Detective Sharon Foshey said the bullet broke Haughton's leg.

Davis, 51, gave a different version. He said he went to Haughton's house to discuss missing generator parts. The men live off Dover Avenue.

Davis said when he arrived, Haughton started cursing at him. Davis said he thought Haughton was going to kick him, so he stepped into Haughton's home. He said Haughton threatened to shoot him while reaching for a gun.

Davis said he then hit Haughton with a flashlight "mainly on the head at least 50 times trying to knock him out," according to an arrest report.

Davis said he acted in self-defense, believing Haughton would shoot him.

He said Haughton fired one round while they struggled.

The fight continued outside, and Davis said the gun fired once more while both men held it. Davis said Haughton's finger was on the trigger when the gun went off. He denied shooting Haughton, an arrest report states.

Davis, a self-employed shrimper who lives at 12350 Dover Ave., was held Tuesday at the Land O'Lakes jail in lieu of $60,000 bail.

Haughton was listed in stable condition at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Neither man could be reached for comment.

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