BOWDOINHAM

A Bowdoinham man faces a charge of felony aggravated reckless conduct after he allegedly loaded a shotgun late Thursday during a squabble with family members over a set of truck tires.

Stephen Messer, 21, of 780 Ridge Road, never pointed the loaded gun at his family members but made verbal threats, including that he would shoot the tires on his brother’s truck, according to Sagadahoc

County Sheriff ’s Department Chief Deputy Brett Strout. No shots were fired.

According to Strout, Messer had been drinking in the hours before the incident, which happened around midnight. Messer allegedly became angry about some tires that were on his brother’s truck and proceeded to load a 20-gauge shotgun. He made verbal threats and walked past his mother and brother, who were concerned enough about the incident that they called 911, Strout said.

“ He basically got mad at them,” said Strout. “He went and loaded a shotgun and walked by them. It was more of a verbal threat, but it was his actions which led to this charge. The mother and the other son don’t feel as though he would actually shoot them.”

The maximum sentence for Class B aggravated reckless conduct in Maine is 10 years in jail, according to Maine law. Messer was arrested and taken to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset, where his bail was set at $500. His bail conditions include that he not return to 780 Ridge Road, which is where he lives, and that he not use or possess alcohol, drugs or weapons. Strout said the shotgun involved in Thursday night’s incident was seized by police.

Sagadahoc County Sgt. Greg Siegel and Deputies Mark Anderson and Todd Bayha were assisted at the scene by Patrolman Joshua Staples of the Richmond Police Department.