Jan 2, 2013 2 min read

A Washington man found himself in the Washington County jail on New Year’s Eve after his early celebration ended in his arrest by city police.

Charles Matthews II, 29, of 370 Duncan Ave., was taken into custody after police determined he had fired five shots from a .40-caliber handgun into the ground between his house and that of a neighbor’s Monday evening.

Police were called about after receiving a report of shots being fired at Matthew’s Duncan Avenue home.

When police arrived, they heard a party going on inside the home. They knocked on the door and Matthews answered. They asked him to step outside as well as the others inside the home.

When police told him why they were there, Matthews denied firing any shots, claiming he discharged fireworks. His wife, Awilda Matthews, also told police it was fireworks. She showed police a firework on the stove. Police also spotted a magazine containing several rounds in the kitchen. After further questioning Matthews, police found the Smith & Wesson pistol in a kitchen cupboard. He then admitted to firing the shots, police said.

Matthews was arraigned before District Judge Curtis Thompson on charges of reckless endangerment and carrying a firearm without a license. He was released from the Washington County jail Tuesday afternoon after posting $1,000 of a $10,000 percentage bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 9 before District Judge Robert Redlinger.