Natrona County Man Faces Trial For Allegedly Shooting At Occupied House
A Natrona County man will face trial on two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly shooting into a house north of Casper earlier this month, and if convicted could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Lyle James Clark waived his preliminary hearing in Natrona County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Circuit Court Judge Michael Patchen agreed with the prosecution and defense to lower his bond to $250,000 from $500,000.
Clark, who was 43 when arrested, remains in custody.
If convicted, each count of aggravated assault carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
However, on each count, the Natrona County District Attorney's Office has charged Clark as a habitual criminal, which makes each count punishable by up to life in prison.
The case started when Natrona County Sheriff's deputies responded to a residence in the 3400 block of North Plateau Street, which is just south of Bar Nunn, for a report of shots fired at 1:16 a.m. April 7, according to court records.
The reporting party and two victims said someone had fired six or seven shots through their bedroom window.
A deputy found bullet holes in the window of the master bedroom, the wall and bedroom door.
The victims were lying on their bed watching television. One got up and walked toward his dresser to extinguish his cigarette when the bullets came through the window.
The family's cat was on the bed at the time of the shooting, and one bullet hit the cat in the face. The animal was later euthanized because of the injury.
Video from a neighbor's security camera system reportedly shows a small black car speed up to the victims' residence and stop before a man gets out of the driver's side and approaches the home, carrying a rifle. Shortly thereafter, the man gets back into the car with the rifle and drives away.
The investigator interviewed two victims and "learned that the only people who could have done this was their daughter... and her boyfriend Lyle Clark," according to court records.
The investigator has had several encounters with Clark over the past 16 years, and recognized Clark's "unique gait" as being similar to that of the man seen in the video, according to court records.
On April 9, three investigators contacted Clark at his job site, told him about the surveillance video. He allegedly admitted to driving his girlfriend's car up to the house and shooting into the bedroom window. He claimed his girlfriend, Lois Horgus, was with him at the time of the shooting.
Investigators then arrested him.