A man is facing nine charges in Lewis County Superior Court for allegedly shooting at people with a lever-action rifle while walking down the street in Vader on Saturday.
No injuries were reported.
The man, identified as Douglas A. Lohse Jr., 69, of Vader, is in custody at the Lewis County Jail on $1 million bail.
He was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 10:25 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, after a Vader resident in the 800 block of A Street called 911 to report “a male was walking down the street with a rifle, shooting at people and saying he was going to kill everyone,” according to court documents.
“The state’s concern here is for public safety,” Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello said of the case during a preliminary hearing on Monday, where he asked Judge Joely Yeager for the $1 million bail.
Bail was initially set at $250,000 over the weekend, with Lohse’s defense attorney asking for a reduction Monday due to Lohse’s lack of income and his lack of felony history.
“I agree with the state (that) this is an incredibly dangerous situation for the community … I think the bail is warranted,” Yeager said Monday.
When interviewed by a deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Lohse allegedly “stated he was assaulted by two people and said he was hit in the face,” though the deputy “did not observe any redness,” according to court documents. When directly asked “if he shot a firearm towards anyone,” Lohse allegedly “stated he shot towards a tree with his .30/.30 lever action rifle and fired three rounds.”
Lohse reportedly told the deputy the rifle was “in his house next to his recliner.”
The deputy noted “Lohse was intoxicated and slurring his words,” according to court documents.
Witnesses reported Lohse was drinking with one of his neighbors when Lohse “started getting mad at him” and “threatened to kill him.” The neighbor told a responding deputy “he slapped Mr. Lohse in self defense as Mr. Lohse attempted to charge him.” At that point, Lohse allegedly walked back to his house, walked back toward the neighbor and started shooting at him and two other men he was standing with.
The men reportedly ran and hid behind a truck to avoid being shot, according to court documents. One of the men told a deputy “he felt like was going to get shot when Mr. Lohse started shooting, and advised that his five children were inside the house directly in front of the truck they were hiding behind,” according to court documents.
A deputy confirmed none of the children were hit.
After obtaining a search warrant, deputies reportedly found two 30/30 cartridges in Lohse’s right front pocket and found the 30/30 rifle inside Lohse’s residence.
He was charged Monday, April 15, with three counts of first-degree assault, one count of felony harassment and five counts of reckless endangerment.
His conditions of release include provisions prohibiting him from consuming alcohol or possessing firearms until the case is resolved.
An anti-harassment order protecting one of the three victims is in place.
