Ava man arrested for firing into occupied homes, endangering children

A Douglas County man is accused of repeatedly firing a .357 Magnum revolver last Saturday from a pickup truck toward occupied residences with children present.

Facing multiple charges for the incident is 18-year-old Michael Aaron Kenneth Coffer of Ava.

According to the probable cause affidavit from the Douglas County Sheriff, dispatch received a 911 call shortly after midnight reporting that a white pickup had driven past a residence and someone inside had fired a gun. Additional calls reported the truck repeatedly traveling along the county road.

A resident told a deputy that gunshots were heard as the truck passed the home. The affidavit states the resident’s wife, a 3-year-old child and a 1-month-old child were inside at the time.

Investigators later located Coffer at a residence where witnesses said he arrived heavily intoxicated. The witnesses told the deputy they helped Coffer shower and later found three spent shell casings. A witness said Coffer admitted firing toward a residence connected to his former girlfriend. Another witness reported asking Coffer whether he knew people were inside the home and said Coffer responded that he did.

Coffer initially told the deputy he did not know what happened and later denied firing a weapon. While being processed at the Douglas County Jail, however, Coffer said he needed to text his girlfriend to make sure she was ok.

A search of the white 2007 Dodge pickup produced three spent .357 Magnum casings, firecrackers and one live .38 Special cartridge. A .357 Magnum revolver was later found inside Coffer’s backpack.

Investigators later found what appeared to be a bullet hole in the lower portion of one residence. A second resident reported finding a bullet hole above a bedroom window. Investigators moved a bed and found a projectile on a box behind the headboard. That resident reported seeing a muzzle flash and hearing a gunshot from the white truck. She said the vehicle left, returned about 20 minutes later and another shot was fired toward the home. The truck returned a third time, when fireworks were discharged in the road.

Coffer faces six counts of first degree assault involving a firearm, two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Coffer has no previous criminal record.

Coffer remains in the custody of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department with no bond set. He is set to appear in Douglas County Court on September 10.

WebReady^TM Powered by WireReady^® NSI