MEXICO – A Mexico man was arrested without incident at a Whitman Street residence early Monday morning after he allegedly shot a Jay man in an apparent domestic dispute, police said.

John Ryerson, 26, was charged with Class A elevated aggravated assault by police Chief Jim Theriault and transported to Oxford County jail.

Later in the day, at South Paris District Court, Ryerson failed to post either $50,000 cash or $250,000 surety bail and was remanded back to jail.

Ryerson will be arraigned in Rumford District Court on Feb. 17.

Shooting victim Matthew Pettengill, 24, of Jay was listed in fair condition late Monday afternoon, according to a Central Maine Medical Center spokeswoman in Lewiston.

The incident began at 12:15 a.m. when Ryerson’s ex-girlfriend called Theriault asking that Ryerson be removed from the residence at 35 Whitman St., said officer Mike Richard.

Pettengill, who was visiting, was there when Theriault arrived and ordered Ryerson to leave, which he did, Richard added. Ryerson reportedly went to his home, retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun and returned at 1 a.m., Richard said.

“He knocked on the door, but no one answered, so he sat on the porch to think it over and then he saw Pettengill walk past a window. He fired through the window with a 12-gauge shotgun, striking Pettengill in the right shoulder,” he added.

When Theriault rushed back following the second call for help, “he found Ryerson in the driveway, kneeling on his knees with his hands in the air and his back to the chief, who handcuffed him,” Richard said. The shotgun was also found in the driveway, a short distance away from Ryerson.

Richard said the charge of elevated aggravated assault in Maine is the equivalent of attempted homicide. It is a Class A felony punishable by up to 40 years pending conviction.

According to Maine law, a person is guilty of elevated aggravated assault if that person:

• Intentionally or knowingly causes serious bodily injury to another person with the use of a dangerous weapon.

• Engages in conduct that manifest a depraved indifference to the value of human life, and, that in fact causes serious bodily injury to another person with the use of a dangerous weapon.

• With terroristic intent, engages in conduct that in fact causes serious bodily injury to another person.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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