Two employees of the Dota Water Department told authorities they were threatened with a gun by a customer when they came to the man’s residence to turn off water service due to non-payment for water usage.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon when the two employees, Russell D. Paul and Calvin Ward, were out of their service truck at 9120 White Dr. in the Cord area, shutting off the water to the residence, according to Sgt. Ernie Gillihan of the Independence County Sheriff’s Dept.
The pair told Gillihan a man, later identified as Luke Asher Vest, 20, then came out onto the porch of the residence and asked what they were doing. Apparently, when Vest was told the water was being shut off, he let the employees know he was going to get his gun. After going inside the residence for a few seconds, Vest then emerged with a shotgun. Vest is then accused of pointing the gun at the men and saying he was going to shoot them.
The employees told Gillihan they jumped back into their service truck and drove to 9180 White Dr. where they then called the Sheriff’s Dept.
When Gillihan arrived to Vest’s residence, he noted Vest had left in a vehicle.
Vest was later stopped by other officers and taken into custody. The officers noted Vest had an infant with him in the vehicle. Arrangements were made for someone to come to the site and take custody of the child.
Vest told authorities he did have the gun, but did not point it at the two water department employees. He was taken to the Independence County Jail and placed on a hold for the possible charge of felony aggravated assault.
