Watson (WTNY) -- Everyone was charged involving an incident that began as an attempted theft and turned into something else when the property owner aimed a gun at the would be thieves.
Lewis County Sheriff's deputies say they were called to an incident at the Timothy Bates residence on the Erie Canal Rd. in the Town of Watson Sunday afternoon. Police say that two individuals, 25 year old Robert Nagy and 18 year old Desiree Balcom, both of Theandra, were attempting to steal home made signs when the 51 year old Bates saw them. Bates yelled out the window and then reached for a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle which he fired two shots from in their direction. None of the bullets hit them, but came close to a car that contained their eight month old son. Police entered the Bates residence where they found a approximately eight ounces of marijuana along with an unregistered .32 caliber pistol.
He is charged with two counts of second degree menacing, three counts of reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of marijuana in the fourth degree, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned and released after posting bail.
Nagy and Balcom were also charged with petit larceny, trespassing, and endangering the welfare of a child.
