Casper Man Accused of Trying to Shoot Woman Following Dinner Dispute
Casper police say a man pointed a .22 rifle at a woman and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not go off.
Documents filed in Natrona County Circuit Court state Kenneth Russel Jones was arrested on recommended charges of aggravated assault and domestic battery.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, the alleged incident began Saturday when a woman was cooking dinner and Jones began peeling potatoes. The woman reportedly told Jones to stop, which upset him, so he locked himself in the bedroom for the evening.
The next morning, the affidavit states, Jones left the home (located on North Forest Street) and returned home at 2 p.m. and appeared to be heavily intoxicated.
Court documents state Jones entered the home in a rage, was yelling and throwing things around. Confronted about his behavior, Jones allegedly yelled at the victim to shut up before pushing her out and slamming the door.
At some point, Jones quickly opened the door, threw the victim into a wall while forcing his hands into her eyes. He also allegedly threatened to "poke" her "eyes out."
According to the affidavit, Jones eventually let the woman go before pulling a small rifle out from under the bed and pointing it directly at her. The victim told police that she heard the "distinct sound" of a firing pin making a click.
Jones then attempted to work the action of the rifle and pointed it at the woman again before pulling the trigger, all while saying he was going to kill the woman, the affidavit states.
Court documents state the woman then locked herself in a bedroom and called a relative, who subsequently called 911.
At some point, the woman determined that her only chance of escape was to run from the home, the affidavit states, so she ran outside and hid behind another residence when she noticed law enforcement had surrounded the home.
Speaking with law enforcement, the woman said she did not fear for her life until Jones pulled the trigger, the affidavit states.
According to the affidavit, the woman told police that she assumed Jones was still angry over the dispute involving potatoes. A mutual acquaintance recalled a conversation with Jones where he sounded "drunk but happy" and Jones expressing being upset he had to buy an apple pie for Thanksgiving.
When police conducted a search of the home, they found a bolt-action .22 rifle that did not have a serial number. The affidavit states that officers suspected it was so old that it did not have one.
The affidavit states that when police made contact with Jones, he appeared to be "heavily intoxicated." He was taken to the Natrona County Detention Center where police were granted a search warrant to draw his blood.