Arnold Police got a recent call about gunshots fired in the 100 block of Manufacturer's Drive, and officers ended up arresting a 30-year-old Fenton man who reportedly abandoned a rifle near railroad tracks in Arnold’s industrial area. The officers also allegedly found a box of bullets in a pickup the man had driven to the area, authorities reported.
Arnold Police received the call about the gunshots at about 8 a.m. Nov. 14. When officers arrived, they found a white pickup parked on a dirt road off Manufacturer's Drive, the report said.
They also discovered a man dressed in camouflage clothing walking beside railroad tracks in the area. The man allegedly told the officers he was out for a hike, adding that he was not hunting because he was a convicted felon and it was illegal for him to have a gun because he was on probation for unlawful use of a weapon, according to the report.
The officers followed the man back to the pickup so he could show them his driver’s license. When he opened the door to the pickup, the officers allegedly saw a box of ammunition inside it, Arnold Police reported.
The officers searched the pickup and found a box of 30-30 rifle ammunition. One of the officers also found a 30-30 rifle leaning against a post near the railroad tracks, which they believe the man had fired, the report said.
The Missouri Department of Conservation was notified about the incident, and an officer from that agency arrived and issued the suspect summonses for hunting without a license and failing to wear orange while hunting, Arnold Police reported.
Arnold Police arrested the man and took him to the Police Station, where he was booked and released pending application for warrants. Arnold Police will seek charges against the man through the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and trespassing on railroad property, Detective Lt. Jason Valentine said.