An intoxicated man wielding a .22 rifle was arrested Tuesday for allegedly taking pictures at a pair of anglers who had been fishing from a ship on a Missouri lake. The 2 fishermen informed authorities the person, later recognized as Levi James Coates, yelled at them for coming too near his dock after which took intention and fired his rifle of their route. Coats was arrested and charged with a number of felonies, in keeping with court docket paperwork filed in Camden County and obtained by Out of doors Life.
The incident occurred Tuesday on Lake of the Ozarks close to the village of Dawn Seashore. The Camden County Sheriff’s Workplace acquired a 911 name at 9:04 p.m. from one of many anglers on the boat, who reported that they’d already been threatened by the person. The anglers later informed a deputy that the person fired a shot at them whereas they had been ready on maintain for the 911 operator.
“[We] had been fishing within the cove for catfish when a person throughout the cove began yelling and threatening to shoot us if we acquired any nearer to his dock,” one of many victims informed Camden County Sheriff’s deputy David Shoemaker, court docket paperwork present. “At one level I seemed again over on the home to see a person aiming a gun, positioned between the home and automotive. After seeing this, [the other angler] and I each crouched down behind the partitions of the boat. Minutes later a shot was fired whereas [the other angler] was on maintain with Camden County.”
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Shoemaker responded to the scene at 9:19 p.m. to search out Coats with a .22-caliber rifle subsequent to him. Coats seemed to be tenting exterior the residence with a tent and a campfire. Throughout questioning, Coats admitted to taking pictures into the water however claimed he didn’t see any boats within the space.
Picture courtesy Camden County Public Information
“[Mr. Coats] claimed that he was taking pictures to ‘scare away’ raccoons so they might not enter his tent,” Shoemaker’s assertion reads. “Mr. Coats was requested why he didn’t shoot the raccoons as an alternative and he acknowledged he couldn’t see the raccoons.”
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Coats was then booked within the Camden County jail, the place he took a preliminary breathalyzer take a look at that got here again optimistic for intoxicants. He additionally admitted that he had been consuming that night.
Coats now faces four felony charges, together with illegal use of a weapon, armed felony motion, and two counts of first diploma tried assault. He has entered a plea of not responsible and has requested public defender companies. His bond was set at $100,000. Court docket paperwork additionally present that in 2022, Coats pleaded responsible to indecent exposure in Texas County, Missouri, and was fined $100.
