SUPERIOR COURT
An argument that started on a school bus escalated to threats involving a firearm, which led to an arrest and now an indictment for charges of aggravated assault.
Antonio Lee Neal was indicted by a Jones County Grand Jury Dec. 11 for two counts of aggravated assault.
A report of the arrest that led to the indictment by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy David Brown stated he was dispatched to a residence on Alton Road Oct. 24 in reference to a dispute. Upon arrival at the scene, he spoke to the complainant, who was the mother of two juveniles who had a dispute with another child on the bus. The mother said, after the boys got off the bus and were walking home, a red car came up beside them, and Antonio Neal pulled a gun on them.
Neal reportedly told the boys they could talk trash until someone pulls a gun and added it was not a BB gun and he could shoot them.
Brown said he interviewed each of the juveniles separately and got the same story they told their mother.
“While the verbiage may be a little different, the two stories are the same,” he said.
The deputy said he made contact with Neal at his residence and started to interview him. Brown said several of his siblings came outside and started giving alternate versions of what could have happened. He said none of the stories from the group were the same.
The deputy said he asked Neal to see his gun.
“After seeing the gun, I knew the two boys were telling me the truth. They described the gun too well for them to have only seen it in passing,” he said.
Brown said, when everything settled down, he took Neal aside and spoke to him separately. He said the suspect told him he passed the two boys when picking up his little brother at the bus stop. He said the boys saw his gun when he was taking it into the house.
Brown said he questioned one of the older siblings and found out they were actually driving the car. He said he asked Neal again who was driving the car, and he said he was. The deputy said that was when the suspect was taken into custody.
Brown said warrants were granted for Neal’s arrest for two counts of aggravated assault.
