Man accused of pointing BB gun at Chaffee resident

Six witnesses said Freddy Joe Johnson, 30, of Delta showed up in the 300 block of North Fifth Street in Chaffee, Missouri, shouting out his car window.

A physical struggle ensued, and Johnson ended up pointing a BB gun that resembled a real firearm at a man.

Johnson is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor marijuana possession, misdemeanor unlawful use of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor driving while his license was suspended. He was arrested by Chaffee police Saturday. Johnson’s bond was set at $3,500, cash only.

According to a probable-cause statement filed by Chaffee police officer Heath Orr, all the witnesses reported the same incident: After Johnson arrived about 8:50 p.m., he got out of the vehicle and told one of people there, “I got something for you, snitch!” He reached back into his car. Before he could grab what ended up being a Walther PPS BB gun, the man struck Johnson, knocking him back into the vehicle.

Several witnesses said Johnson pointed the BB gun at the man. Johnson dropped the BB gun, and one of the other people at the house secured it.

Johnson told police he was just driving by and stopped because people were giving him an obscene gesture. When he opened his car door, a man punched him in the face.

Johnson still was yelling at the man when police made him get into a patrol car, according to the statement.

Police searched Johnson’s vehicle and found a vial of marijuana and a bag of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. A cooler in the trunk contained an empty bottle of Patron tequila and eight beers.

Johnson talked to police at the station. He said he had not pointed the BB gun at the man. He said while he smokes weed, the methamphetamine was not his. He apologized to police for lying at the scene about driving the vehicle, because he knew he was revoked and he did not want a felony charge.

Johnson has six previous offenses of driving while revoked, the most recent from February 2014. He also has driving while intoxicated offenses from 2007 and 2008 and was found guilty of possession of drug paraphernalia in Cape Girardeau in 2004.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

300 block of North Fifth Street, Chaffee, Mo.