Jerry Michael Neata

WARSAW — A 28-year-old man has been arrested after a November incident at a Wilby’s Gas Station in Kosciusko County, where he fired a handgun, threatening another individual.

Jerry Michael Neata, 28, 3000 S. Andrews Road, Muncie, was arrested at a Sidney location early this morning, Jan. 15. He is charged with intimidation with a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony; criminal recklessness, while armed with a deadly weapon, a level 6 felony; and carrying a handgun without a license, enhanced from a misdemeanor to a level 5 felony.

Information was filed with the courts on Nov. 20 by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. According to the document, sheriff’s officers responded to a physical altercation and gun shot at Wilby’s Gas Station in Kosciusko County on Nov. 8.

Police met with a witness who observed a red Jeep parked at a gas pump and a brown Cadillac parked at another gas pump. An individual in the Jeep was speaking to an individual in the Cadillac when a man, later identified as Neata exited the vehicle, approached the individual at the Jeep and fired a handgun. All individuals jumped into their vehicles and left. A license plate number of the Cadillac was given to police.

Viewing the surveillance video, an officer identified a female occupant of the jeep. Police spoke to the female who stated she was with two males at the gas station. A man in the Cadillac began talking to one of the males, Zach Eyer, when Neata exited the vehicle, approached Eyer and fired a handgun in an unknown direction. She left the vehicle and ran into the business.

Eyer told police he knew one of the individuals in the Cadillac and was speaking with him when one of the occupants approached him. He stated it appeared the individual was intoxicated and asked Eyer if he was “messing with his boy.” It was at this time Neata came toward the vehicle and pointed the gun at Eyer’s head. While the acquaintance of Eyer’s was attempting to get the individuals back in the vehicle, Neata fired the handgun into the air. All parties then left.

Police found Neata has had several felony convictions and cannot obtain a license to carry a handgun. He was convicted on Feb. 4, 2009, for possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a common nuisance, class D felonies and convicted on Dec. 5, 2013, of fraud, a class D felony all in Delaware County. He was sentenced on June 11, 2014, for receiving stolen property, a class D felony, in Kosciusko County.