PALM COAST, Fla. – A Palm Coast man arrested Tuesday is accused of pointing a handgun at people in his neighborhood over Fourth of July fireworks they were lighting in the street, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded around 9:45 p.m. to an address along Rymen Lane, making contact with Christopher Lemke, 70, the subject of a 911 caller’s report to Flagler dispatchers. The caller accused Lemke of pulling a gun on them because he was upset about fireworks going off along the street in front of his house, but Lemke denied the threat and told deputies he kept the gun pointed at the ground, adding he only brought it outside due to fears associated with his age.
Recommended Videos
A deputy speaking with the reporting party learned they were in the area visiting family and had gone out into the street with their friends and siblings to light off fireworks, according to a charging affidavit. After they got started, Lemke came outside complaining about the fireworks and holding a Walther .22 pistol, at which point the group moved further down the road, the affidavit shows.
About 15 minutes after moving, the reporting party told deputies they were approached by Lemke again — this time having switched on a green laser attached to the gun — who pointed the pistol at a pregnant woman and another person while telling the group something to the effect of “next person to light one of those off is getting one of these,” according to the affidavit.
[TRENDING: It’s OMG hot in Fla. | WHOA! Large shark near swimmers | Become a News 6 Insider]
One of the people in the group told deputies they then stepped between Lemke and the others in fear for their and their family’s lives.
Lemke faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, constituting a $5,000 bond amount, records show.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: