Man accused of shooting at neighbors from lawn tractor
A Wayne Township couple and two young children were preparing to see Fourth of July fireworks Tuesday night when a neighbor riding a lawn tractor fired multiple shots in their direction, striking their house and vehicle, according to one of the victims.
State police said Jerry Edward Wood, 42, was drunk when he got into an argument with his Oak Forest Road neighbor, Joseph Darr, that escalated into a fight shortly after 9 p.m.
Wood went back to his home at 1564 Oak Forest Road about 300 yards away and retrieved a handgun, police said. As Wood approached, driving a lawn tractor, Darr told his wife, Heather Bane, and two children, ages 10 and 7, to go into the house.
Police said Wood then fired his gun multiple times while aboard the tractor, striking a truck twice and his neighbor’s home four times as people ran for cover into the residence. Two of the bullets went through windows and into the house, police said.
When troopers arrived, they said they found Wood holding a black 9mm handgun, which he was told to drop. Investigators said they found seven shell casings on Oak Forest Road near Darr’s residence and a pistol holster on the lawn tractor.
Bane said their family found a fifth bullet lodged in the house Wednesday. She said no one was injured, but the family was “beyond terrified” over the shooting.
“I don’t think I’ve been so scared in my life,” Bane said. “We didn’t expect it and never thought it would happen.”
Bane said they never had a problem with Wood until a few days ago when he was clearly intoxicated and making inappropriate comments around their children. They didn’t see him again until Tuesday night when he got into the argument with Darr as the family prepared to get into the pickup truck to go see fireworks. After the altercation, Bane said they considered leaving to see the fireworks, but they were also concerned about the safety of their house.
Moments later, Wood could be seen riding on his lawn mower and firing shots at the house. Bane said Wood made three or four passes on the riding mower, firing the weapon and striking the house or truck each time.
“I can’t explain what they’re going through,” Bane said of the two young boys. “Now we don’t feel safe in our own home. The last thing we were ever expecting was someone would come up with a gun. This was never worth being a argument over, let alone killing someone.”
Wood was arrested and charged with four counts each of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment, along with one count each of discharging a firearm at an occupied structure and criminal mischief. He was arraigned Wednesday morning by District Judge Lee Watson and was being held in the Greene County jail on $250,000 bond.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled before Watson at 1:45 p.m. July 18.