Perryville, Mo., man arrested for allegedly firing gun out of car

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A Perryville resident was arrested near Patton, Mo., after allegedly firing a shot from the window of the vehicle he was in Nov 7.

Cody A. Young, 21, was arrested on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon.

According to the Bollinger County sheriff's Department, deputy Carrie Statler saw one of the vehicle's occupants fire a gun after approaching a stop sign at the end of County Road 200 near Patton around 10:30 p.m. After the shot was fired, the driver spun the vehicle's tires in the gravel and drove off rapidly, turning left onto Highway 72 East.

Young, who police say was the driver of the vehicle, allegedly told Statler upon questioning that he had fired a round at a dirt embankment with a 12-gauge pump shotgun, stating that he was "just messing around."

He also said he had consumed five or six beers that evening, police say. A sobriety test revealed a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 percent.

Young was taken to the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department where he was issued a citation for unlawful use of a weapon and given a court date.

Two other occupants in the vehicle were questioned. All three were released to the custody of the mother of one of the occupants, Zac Hotop, 17. The other occupant was identified as a 16-year-old.