Mother, son arrested after firing shots into woods off Ashberry Drive

STAFF REPORT

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, 10:45 a.m. — Two people were arrested Tuesday night after they admitted to police they fired handguns into a wooded area off Ashberry Drive in Bardstown.

Caroline R. Watts, 41, of Bardstown, and her son, Justin L. Keith, 26, of Shepherdsville, were arrested and charged with first-degree wanton endangerment and public intoxication following a police investigation of the incident.

Bardstown Police Officer Jeremy Cauley was dispatched to the area after several 911 calls reported shots fired in the Ashberry Drive area at 10:20 Tuesday night. Witnesses told police they heard two gunshots. Officers searched the area and found Keith and Cauley on a back patio at 105 Ashberry Drive, Apt. 5.

Neither had a weapon in their possession, but both admitted to police they individually fired weapons into the woods behind the apartment building. Watts told police the weapons were inside the apartment and then showed police where they were located. Police were shown two handguns, a .40 caliber and a 9 mm weapon. Police found a .40 caliber shell casing and noted the weapon was warm to the touch.

Police believe Watts and her son randomly fired the shots from the back patio into the woods. Both admitted drinking and police say each appeared to be intoxicated. The two were charged for wanton endangerment because there are apartment buildings on the other side of the woods in the direction the weapons were fire.

No one was injured in the incident. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the Bardstown Police at (502) 348-6811 or Nelson County Dispatch at (502) 348-3211.

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