Sedalia man accused of shooting at woman charged with first-degree assault
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Sedalia man who is accused of firing a gun at a woman on Wednesday has been charged with multiple felonies.
Josiah Willis, 21, was charged with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Pettis County Jail on a $35,000 bond. Willis appeared for an arraignment on Friday by video from the jail. A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
The probable cause statement says that police were called to a residence at 6:29 p.m. for a domestic disturbance and were told that Willis just left in a convertible. Police saw blood on the door of the home and the floor, as well as a broken window and glass on the floor, the statement says.
A woman allegedly told Willis to leave her home because he cheated on her daughter and he punched out a window on his way out, the statement says. Other people near the home said Willis pulled out a gun after, but those inside the house didn’t see it, the statement says.
Willis came back to the home while police were there and started arguing with officers, the statement says. Police found a gun and shell casings and determined that four shots had been fired, court documents say.
One of the women stated they went to find Willis about an hour before to get him to gather his belongings from the residence, the statement says. The woman “pinged” Willis’ phone and found him on private property in a wooded area on Missouri Avenue behind Hubbard Park, court documents say.
Willis allegedly fired a shot in the air when the woman arrived, court documents say. She decided to leave and Willis fired two or three more rounds at the woman, court documents say. Residents in the area also heard gunshots, police wrote.
Whitney Baglien
John Kish
