LEWISTON — Kody Ouellette was under the influence of liquor and out on bail from a previous domestic assault charge Thursday when he fired a shot at a pair of dog-walkers on a trail along the Androscoggin River, according to a court affidavit.

Kody Ouellette Androscoggin County Jail photo

Ouellette, 22, of Tall Pines Drive, is charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and violating conditions of release.

In court for the first time on Friday, Ouellette’s bail was set at $50,000 cash. He was found to be indigent and an attorney was appointed. Should he be released from the Androscoggin County Jail, Ouellette is ordered to stay away from the river walk and avoid contact with the alleged victims. He is also not allowed to possess alcohol, drugs or a firearm.

According to the document, Ouellette said he confronted the pair, a 47-year-old woman and 43-year-old man, because he believed that the couple had been mean to his grandmother during an incident that had occurred earlier in the day.

In that earlier incident, Ouellette’s grandmother had been walking her dog along the trail when it barked at another dog being walked by the man and woman. Words were exchanged in that confrontation, according to the court document, but all parties went on their way.

A short time later, police said, Ouellette, who admitted he had been drinking alcohol, said he was angry after hearing about the verbal exchange.

Advertisement

“K. Ouellette stated that after finding out about the altercation, he grabbed his gun, which he said he had just bought that day, and headed for the river walk,” according to the affidavit, written by Lewiston Police Detective Nicholas D. Wiers.

On the trail, Ouellette encountered the pair who had argued with his grandmother.

“K. Ouellette stated that the three exchanged words, at which time he presented his firearm and fired one shot,” according to the affidavit.

The shot struck the ground next to the woman, she told police.

Another witness told police that Ouellette had taken aim to fire a second shot, but when the witness yelled at him Ouellette lowered his weapon and retreated.

Police eventually located Ouellette walking on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge a short distance from the trail.

“K. Ouellette stated that he did not intend to hit/kill anyone,” Wiers wrote in the affidavit.

Ouellette told police that he has a problem with alcohol addiction and that he had been drinking prior to the confrontation in the woods.

The gun, a .22 caliber SIG Sauer, has not been recovered, police said, although a shell casing and Ouellette’s T-shirt were found at the scene.

Related Headlines

Comments are not available on this story.