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Glouster Man Who Allegedly Shot At Police Indicted On Seven Counts
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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A Glouster man who allegedly shot at police during a pursuit was indicted on seven felony charges Tuesday by an Athens County grand jury.
Matthew Arno, 27, was indicted on two counts of felonious assault and one count each of discharge of a firearm on or near a prohibited area, possession of a firearm while under disability, inducing panic, receiving stolen property and aggravated robbery.
The charges stem from an Oct. 7 incident in which he was accused of shooting at Glouster police officers and leading a pursuit that ended when he barricaded himself inside a Republic Avenue home.
Officers were attempting to serve a warrant for failing to appear in court on Arno on Summit Street when he allegedly fled while brandishing a firearm.
One of the felonious assault charges stems from his allegedly firing at officers, and the other from allegations that he pointed the firearm at police, but did not necessarily having fire the weapon, Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said.
When he barricaded himself inside the home on Republic Avenue, he was talked into surrendering by Lt. Aaron Maynard of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team.
A female relative of Arno was also inside the home, but has not been named or charged in the incident. She was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but no major injuries were reported.
The firearm was allegedly stolen, Blackburn said, resulting in the receiving stolen property charge.
The inducing panic charge was included because a volleyball game being played at Trimble High School was put on lockdown due to the incident. Neighbors in the area of Republic Avenue were also advised to stay in their homes, according to previous Messenger reporting.
The prosecution plan to argue that Arno committed aggravated robbery by entering the relative’s home. He was not a resident of the home.
“We believe that she did not want him in the home and if she had, she would not have allowed him to fire at police from it,” Blackburn said.
Arno’s arraignment in Athens County Common Pleas Court is scheduled for Oct. 22.