A confrontation outside a local residence led to the arrest of a 52-year-old Belleview man after he fired multiple shots at an occupied pickup truck that had backed into his driveway.
On Wednesday, May 29, a man identified as Neal Albert Chewning called 911 to report a shooting incident that had just occurred. He stated that a man in a black Ford F-150 had shot at him with a firearm, which prompted him to return fire at the vehicle, according to the arrest report.
Chewning further claimed that the driver of the pickup truck had attempted to run him over with the vehicle. The report stated that the incident occurred at Chewning’s residence located on SE 132nd Lane in Belleview.
A Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal arrived on scene and made contact with Chewning in the driveway of his residence. According to Chewning’s statement, he was in his backyard when he heard gunshots on the street. He advised that he entered his home and observed a truck backing into his driveway.
Chewning told the corporal that he grabbed his firearm, a .357 Magnum, and approached the truck. He claimed that the vehicle “tried to run him over,” and he proceeded to shoot at the tailgate. The vehicle then fled from the incident location, according to the report.
The corporal noted that Chewning claimed that he “only shot at the tailgate” and “wasn’t trying to hurt anyone.”
The report stated that Chewning had doorbell camera footage, which captured the incident. The corporal noted that a black pickup truck was observed backing into the gravel driveway at the incident location, and Chewning exited the residence with “a bag and a firearm in his hands.”
On the footage, Chewning was observed approaching the truck with his right arm extended, pointing the firearm at the vehicle. The corporal observed that the driver attempted to leave, but the truck became stuck in the deep gravel.
As the driver attempted to gain traction, Chewning was observed on the video footage firing four shots at the truck. Eventually, the truck gained traction and turned onto the roadway. While the vehicle was driving away from the incident location, Chewning fired a fifth shot, according to the report.
“At no point in the video did I observe any muzzle flashes emitting from the victim’s vehicle,” noted the corporal in the report.
Several deputies responded to the area and located the black Ford F-150. They then made contact with the two occupants/victims who were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting incident.
According to statements from both victims, Chewning had driven his vehicle to the home of one of the victims prior to the shooting incident. After arriving at the victim’s residence, Chewning allegedly performed “donuts” in the street and in the victim’s yard.
The corporal noted that there were “tire marks in a circular pattern” in front of the victim’s home that “appeared to have been created recently.”
The victims told the corporal that they had traveled to Chewning’s residence in the truck to confront him about the above incident. Shortly after arriving at the home, the victims advised that Chewning began shooting at them.
In the report, the corporal noted that the truck had two bullet holes in the tailgate, a broken left taillight, and a bullet hole inside the truck bed. Equipment that was in the bed of the truck at the time of the shooting incident had also been damaged.
The total damage was estimated at around $1,800.
The corporal returned to Chewning. After being read his Miranda rights, Chewning stated that he “believed he was in danger” because “(one of the victims) tried to run him over.”
Chewning was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on a $13,500 bond. He is being charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill (two counts), and felony criminal mischief.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, according to jail records.