By CHRIS BUTLER

SEBRING — A Highlands County jury convicted an Avon Park man on aggravated child abuse charges late Thursday evening.

That same jury also acquitted him on attempted second degree murder charges. 

State attorneys said Ronald Wayne Baker, 54, 3323 N. Horseshoe Drive, took matters into his own hands in September 2005 after a long spate of anger over ATV noise being generated throughout his neighborhood.

Baker’s defense attorneys told jurors Thursday that their client indeed knocked a then 13-year-old boy off his ATV with a large stick.

That act resulted in the boy having a large bruise across his chest.

Baker’s two defense attorneys said their client later shot the boy’s father in the chin with a 32 caliber semi-automatic handgun. That occurred after the father and his son came looking for Baker at his front door. 

But they also said Baker’s shooting act was entirely one of self-defense. They said Baker was physically vulnerable after severely injuring his ankle two weeks before the incident even occurred. 

The bullet from Baker’s gun pierced the man’s jaw, leaving him unable to eat anything but soup for almost three weeks.

Baker faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison for the aggravated child abuse charge if convicted.

Tenth Circuit Court Judge Peter Estrada immediately remanded Baker into custody after the verdict was read.

Baker is scheduled for sentencing April 25.