'Stand Your Ground' gunman bonds out of jail

CLEARWATER (FOX 13) - The man accused in a controversial Clearwater ‘Stand Your Ground’ shooting was released from jail after posting bond this afternoon. 

Michael Drejka has been in jail since his August 13 arrest, charged with manslaughter for killing Markeis McGlockton, back in July outside of a Clearwater convenience store.

Investigators said Drejka confronted McGlockton’s girlfriend after she parked in a handicapped spot at the Circle A Food Store on Sunset Point Road. McGlockton is seen in store surveillance video shoving Drejka to the ground, then pausing. Drejka pulls out his handgun and fires one shot, striking the 27-year-old in the chest. 

McGlockton walked back into the store, and collapsed. He passed away about 30 minutes later at Morton Plant Hospital.

The shooting led to protests in Clearwater and across the nation after Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri did not immediately arrest Drejka. At the time, Gualtieri said recent changes to the Stand Your Ground law prevented him from making an arrest after Drejka claimed he fired out of fear for his life.

The State Attorney’s Office ultimately decided to charge Drejka.  He pleaded not guilty, but remained behind bars on $100,000 bond.

He posted bond on Monday and walked out of jail at 4 p.m., then climbed into a waiting SUV and was driven away.  He ignored questions shouted by reporters.

The judge had previously said that Drejka would have to wear a GPS monitoring device if he bonded out, and would not be permitted to leave the county.