Man thrown in prison for discharge in home

[ungawa]

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/beth...le_trigge.html

Moore Township police: Argument, stumble trigger gunshot
by JD Malone
Friday July 18, 2008, 10:43 AM

Moore Township police said Erik F. Garces, 38, had a pillow in one hand and a .45 pistol in the other when he tripped over a TV cable and dropped the gun. A single shot went off, striking a television and the floor.

Garces told police he and his wife were arguing, and he decided to sleep in his mother-in-law's room -- court documents did not elaborate on whether his mother-in-law was home at the time -- so he grabbed his pillow and the .45 Springfield Armory XD pistol he kept on his nightstand, police said.

Garces said he stumbled over an errant TV cable in the dark, the gun discharged and fell out of its holster, police said. An officer unloaded the weapon and noted that the gun had one round in the chamber and 12 in a 13-round capacity magazine.

Garces was charged with reckless endangerment and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail. He also was evicted from his home in the 600 block of Ranger Road and ordered to surrender any firearms he owns, according to court documents.

[PisnNapalm]

I wonder... If he had not argued with his wife, would he have been arrested and all of his firearms confiscated?

It is possible for an argument to end without someone being killed. Cripes....

[headcase]

Perhaps the wife called the police and expressed fear for her life? I can't see any other way this flies.........

[cadence2arms]

If your gonna handle a gun you should show a little more respect for it. He is one of the people giving us a bad rap. What if that would have killed someone in the house (wife, kids, mother-inlaw) well the wife and kids; It only takes one mistake for things to turn out very badly.

[knighthawk06699]

Hmmm I thought XD's where "drop safe"? What gives. Anyway his wife definitely had a hand in his incarceration and confiscation, no doubt about it.

[lildobe]

Originally Posted by knighthawk06699

Hmmm I thought XD's where "drop safe"?

To quote a movie (that I can't even remember besides this line)

(In Russian Accent) "Is gun. Is not safe."

Anyway... I also have to agree, the wife must have said something to get him arrested. Most ND's don't end in jail time.

[P-11 shooter]

He was chasing her around with a loaded gun. I don't care who you are,you're going to jail.

[sgt7546]

The confiscation of firearms and eviction from the home sounds more like the actions of a PFA.

[ungawa]

Originally Posted by P-11 shooter

He was chasing her around with a loaded gun. I don't care who you are,you're going to jail.

Is that wild speculation or something you heard? I hope you are right. Not that I want people chasing around other people with guns. But I would feel much better about the actions of the police if this guy was a criminal and they took care of him.

[ungawa]

Originally Posted by sgt7546

The confiscation of firearms and eviction from the home sounds more like the actions of a PFA.

I'm afraid I don't know what PFA is, can you please clarify?