Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
OWLS HEAD, Maine — Police say the victim in a threatening case fired off a gun Tuesday night to ward off an attacker.
Joshua S. Haskell, 28, of Owls Head was arrested Tuesday night by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Criminal complaints were filed Wednesday by the district attorney’s office, accusing Haskell of terrorizing, criminal threatening, assault and violating a condition of release.
Haskell was initially held on $25,000 cash bail but, after an initial appearance Wednesday afternoon in Knox County Unified Court, it was reduced to $1,000 cash. He remained at the Knox County Jail late Wednesday in lieu of that bail.
According to an affidavit filed in court by the sheriff’s office, a man had gone to Haskell’s house to pick up his clothes. He said a dispute ensued and the two got into a fight with the man holding Haskell to the floor, according the affidavit. A second man reportedly arrived and directed the other man to let Haskell up.
Haskell allegedly bit the finger of the man who had been holding him down and then said he would get a gun and shoot the pair. One of the men reported he knew there had been a gun in the house.
The men left the house and got in a vehicle to leave when Haskell allegedly came out and ran toward the vehicle with something in his hand. One of the men leaving said he had his own handgun and fired a warning shot to ward off Haskell, according to the affidavit.
Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Baroody said that the man who fired off the shot would not be charged, saying the state would not be able to disprove self-defense.