By Ray King
A $5,000 bond was set Friday for a Pine Bluff man who allegedly fired a shot during an altercation at a motel Thursday.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling prosecutors have probable cause to charge Michael Cox, 44, with aggravated assault.
Deputy Prosecutor Caleb Conrad said the police were sent to the parking lot of Dollar Tree on East Harding Avenue where the victims had driven after they left the Executive Inn, then read from a probable cause affidavit from Detective DeShawn Bennett who reported on what the victims said.
The victim said he and Cox exchanged words and racial slurs and when he, his wife and her son went to their vehicle to leave the property, they heard a gunshot. The victim’s wife said she saw Cox point a gun at their vehicle and the son gave a similar statement.
Police returned to the motel where they located a spent nine-millimeter shell casing.
Conrad said Cox was interviewed and gave the following statement.
Cox told police the gun was in his room but when the went there, the gun was missing. His girlfriend said she had put the gun in her car and after she signed a consent to search form, police removed the weapon.
A $5,000 bond was set by Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth who ruled prosecutors had probable cause to charge Cox with aggravated assault. He was ordered to have no contact with the victims and said he would hire his own attorney.
