A Jones County man received four years probation in Jones County Superior Court last week for his participation in a drive-by shooting in Gray this past summer.

Octavious Jackson was sentenced to four years each for three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of criminal damage to property in the first degree, and one count of carrying weapons within school safety zones. All six counts will run concurrent for a total of four years.

The drive-by shooting took place June 8 on Maggie Califf Street near the Ninth Grade Academy. Police were alerted to the shooting by a woman with two children in her Explorer, who was mistaken for Jackson and his companion.

Assistant District Attorney Gregory Bushway told the court that Jackson was a party to the crime. He said an ongoing dispute was brought to a head, and Jackson and a friend drove to the Ninth Grade Academy in an Explorer to confront a group from Macon.

“When they arrived, the young men from Macon pulled handguns and began to shoot,” Bushway explained.

He said Jackson took off, and the mother was driving in the opposite direction. When the young men saw the Explorer, they started firing. Bullets were found in the door of the car near where the children were strapped into their car seats.

“Jackson was not one of the people shooting, but he was a party to the crime because he was involved in the dispute,” he said. “Mr. Jackson has culpability.”

Bushway said a young woman was at the heart of the disagreement, and the juveniles had been punished. He said Jackson received probation and was allowed to plea as a first offender because he cooperated in the investigation.