A Big Clifty man has been arrested after firing a shotgun because he thought his neighbor was shining a light inside his home.
Monday night at approximately 11:00, Grayson County Deputies Rance Whobrey and Mark Johnson responded to the 20 block of 1st Street, in Big Clifty, on a report of shots fired. While en route to the scene, Central Dispatch informed deputies that a man fired the shotgun because he was upset his neighbor was allegedly shining a light into his house.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies made contact with 47-year-old Lional W. Cottrell. According to police, Cottrell broke a window in his house and fired the gun, apparently into the air from the broken window. Additionally, the shots were fired within a few feet of a propane tank, police said.
Cottrell claimed he fired the weapon, a Mossburg 500, into the ground, but deputies were unable to locate any indication that a gun had been fired in that fashion.
Further investigation by deputies revealed that as the victim pulls into his driveway, the headlights of the victim’s vehicle shines into Cottrell’s residence, possibly explaining why Cottrell thinks his neighbor is shining a light into his home.
Cottrell was arrested and charged with felony wanton endangerment and lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center. Deputies seized the weapon.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
