Poplar Bluff street chief held in shooting

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff's street department superintendent is free on bond after being charged with shooting a woman Saturday during what apparently began as a child custody dispute.

Jeremy W. Grable, 37, of the 2200 block of Barron Road was charged with felony first-degree assault and felony armed criminal action by Butler County assistant prosecuting attorney Paul Oesterreicher.

Grable has been street superintendent since January 2011, and has worked for the department since 2001.

About 7:05 p.m. Saturday, the Poplar Bluff Police Department received a 911 call from a "male caller on the line requesting an officer respond to his residence in reference to a child custody dispute," according to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper John Lacey.

The dispatcher, Lacey wrote, told the man, who identified himself as Grable, she would send an officer to his home. Three minutes later the police department received a second 911 call from the same residence.

"A male was on the line and informed the dispatcher he needed an ambulance at this location," Lacey said. "He indicated he shot someone in the chest.

"The male's voice sounded as though he was in a distressed state. He again identified himself as Jeremy," he said.

Police Sgt. Joe Ward, Lacey said, arrived at the home and talked to the man, who identified himself as Grable.

Lacey said Grable had told Ward a gun was unloaded and on the hood of his truck.

The weapon was secured and later identified as a Kel-Tec 9 mm handgun, Lacey said.

Ward, according to Lacey, found Shelia D. Hunt in the front seat of her GMC SUV, which was parked in the driveway.

"She was bleeding and had an apparent gunshot wound to the chest," Lacey said. "EMS arrived and transported her to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where she underwent immediate surgery for the gunshot she suffered."

Lacey described Hunt as being in stable but critical condition.

Sources also said doctors had to remove one of Hunt's lungs.