Landlord arrested for shooting at tenant’s truck, immobilizing it

James Reed, 79, of Theodosia, is being held in the Ozark County Jail without bond in a case where he allegedly shot at a tenant’s vehicle, immobilizing it during an argument last month. 

According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Deputy Jeffrey Lane, at 1:14 p.m. Oct. 12, the Ozark County dispatch office received a call from a resident who reported a shooting in progress on County Road 905 in Theodosia. 

Once on scene, Lane and OCSD Sgt. Seth Miller spoke with the reporting party who said he had been in an argument with his landlord, James Reed, about getting his stuff off the property when James fired a high-powered rifle towards him form his porch. The round struck his 1997 Chevrolet pickup immobilizing it. The victim said he was within several feet of the vehicle when it was struck. 

The report says that later that day, Reed showed back up to the property, and officers came back out to talk to him. Reed reportedly told the officers that he had been telling the victim to get off his property for several days, and he didn’t care where they went. 

“They can go to heaven or hell. I don’t care,” the report says Reed said to the officers. 

While speaking with him, Lane noticed an empty 30-30 casing on the porch. The casing was in the direct site of the victim’s truck. While on scene, Miller found a pump action rifle in plain view in the camper trailer with a spent round in the chamber. 

Lane arrested Reed and placed him in the patrol vehicle for transport to the Ozark County Jail. 

When they arrived at the sheriff’s department, Lane asked Reed for a gunshot residue sample. He declined and said the officers would need to get a warrant, the statement says. 

A criminal history check reveals that Reed is a convicted felon from Arkansas and is not legally permitted to own a firearm. 

Reed is charged with unlawful use of a weapon (shooting at a motor vehicle), harassment, armed criminal action and tampering with a motor vehicle. 

A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Associate Circuit Judge Raymond Gross for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 14.