CULPEPER, Va. (AP) - Culpeper police have upgraded charges against a man accused of accidentally shooting his neighbor while trying to shoot a raccoon.
Douglas Ward originally was charged with misdemeanor reckless handling of a firearm. The charge was upgraded last week to felony charges of unlawful wounding and unlawful shooting at a building.
Police Lt. Lee Rees tells the Culpeper Star Exponent (https://bit.ly/1IYyACm ) that the new charges were obtained at the recommendation of the commonwealth’s attorney’s office.
The shooting occurred on June 6. Ward told police that he was attempting to shoot a rabid raccoon.
The female victim was shot in the forearm. She was treated at a local hospital.
Ward remains free on $10,000 bail. The 49-year-old Culpeper resident’s attorney declined to comment on the case.
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Information from: Culpeper Star-Exponent, https://www.starexponent.com
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