BOWDOINHAM, Maine — A Bowdoinham man faces a charge of felony aggravated reckless conduct after he loaded a shotgun late Thursday during a squabble with family members over a set of truck tires.
Stephen Messer, 21, of 780 Ridge Road in Bowdoinham, never pointed the loaded gun at his family members but made verbal threats, including that he would shoot the tires on his brother’s truck, according to Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Brett Strout. No shots were fired.
According to Strout, Messer had been drinking in the hours before the incident, which happened around midnight. Messer allegedly became angry about some tires that were on his brother’s truck and proceeded to load a 20-gauge shotgun. He made verbal threats and walked past his mother and brother, who were concerned enough about the incident that they called 911, Strout said.
“He basically got mad at them,” said Strout. “He went and loaded a shotgun and walked by them. It was more of a verbal threat, but it was his actions which led to this charge. The mother and the other son don’t feel as though he would actually shoot them.”
The maximum sentence for Class B aggravated reckless conduct in Maine is 10 years in jail, according to Maine law. Messer was arrested and taken to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset, where his bail was set at $500. Messer was still incarcerated Friday morning. His bail conditions include that he not return to 780 Ridge Road, which is where he lives, and that he not use or possess alcohol, drugs or weapons. Strout said the shotgun involved in Thursday night’s incident was seized by police.
Sagadahoc County Sgt. Greg Siegel and Deputies Mark Anderson and Todd Bayha were assisted at the scene by Patrolman Joshua Staples of the Richmond Police Department.
“Messer allegedly became angry about some tires that were on his brother’s truck and proceeded to load a 20-gauge shotgun.”
‘what are those Bridgestones? not on my watch’
I can clearly see how a dispute over truck tires would lead to a family fight involving a shotgun….this stuff just can’t be made up fiction…..were they drinking the “brandy”??
Have you priced a set of truck tires lately? Just shy of $700 was cheapest I could find. Hardly worth shootin’ my brother over, but a good family beat down?…….Maybe….
Come to think of it, he’s a big ol’ sob, I’d end up with two black eyes and stiill be out a set of tires, I’d have to bring the shotgun just in case.
I wonder what Thanksgiving is like at their house/trailer?
What the **** is up with people nowadays? threatening to shoot a family member over tires???
From what it says he did not threaten to kill anyone but the tires…………………….
A while back a guy up north killed his wife over her berating hm for purchasing a new muffler for his truck. If these acts are occurring over tires and exhaust parts, what happens when an engine or tranny blows?
Now we’ll see if the rubber hits the road in court.
For what he’s going to b paying in fines, & jail time, loss of a shotgun he could have bought himself a new tires & a new place to live, maybe he will learn not to run his mouth.
I doubt it.
Do they do takeout of Allen’s Coffeee Brandy down there?
Take away an “e” and make that a double!
Bad times in Bowdoinham lately.
….
stupid junkies
So he made a threat Against some tires? Do the tires have to be in court to testify ? Maybe his brother sole his tires? Did the brother get charged . I would say give him a fine for disorderly conduct . We just do not get all the facts from the paper.
A 20 gauge Is that a big enough gun to kill a tire?