Charges filed in New Madrid guns incident

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A New Madrid man is facing charges after an argument ended with gunshots Friday evening.

According to a probable cause statement from Sgt. John Dubois of the New Madrid Police Department, he was patrolling at 5:15 p.m. Friday when he received a call of a fight in progress with shots fired at 721 Davis St. in New Madrid. The victim told the dispatcher that she was trying to leave when Alec Collier broke the key to her car, slashed her tires and shot at her.

When Dubois arrived at the scene, Alec Collier was sitting in the passenger seat of his brother's vehicle and was placed under arrest. Dubois stated Collier had strong odor of "an intoxicant coming from him" and a gun was located under a diaper bag in the back seat.

Dubois said he also noticed five bullet holes in the back of a black Buick passenger car and found six shell casings between the two vehicles.

The victim told officers that Collier had been drinking and they got in an argument. She said she packed up her things to leave and Collier broke the key to her car and then said, "good luck leaving, I slashed all four tires on your car."

Approximately 30 minutes later another argument ensued. The victim said Collier fired a handgun six times at the rear of the car, striking it five times.

Collier is charged with the felonies of unlawful use of a firearm, armed criminal action, first-degree tampering and first-degree property damage and the misdemeanor of fourth-degree domestic assault. He was being held on $40,000 cash or surety bond with no contact with the victim or possession of firearms. Collier posted bond and is set to appear before Associate Circuit Court Judge Joshua D. Underwood on June 4.