City man shot in ATV incident
Published 5:00 am Tuesday, May 22, 2001
MONTICELLO — A Brookhaven man remained in critical conditiontoday and a Sontag man is facing aggravated assault chargesfollowing an early Sunday morning shooting incident along FairRiver, law enforcement officials said.
Jeff Ingle, 30, of 2823 Allen Road, Brookhaven, was listed incritical but stable condition at University Medical Center Tuesdaymorning after being shot around 12:09 a.m. Sunday while riding hisfour-wheeler down the river, said Sheriff Joel Thames. Ingle wasundergoing additional surgery in his chest and shoulder areaTuesday morning.
Joseph “Buddy” Dixon, 53, of 511 Nola Road, Sontag, was chargedwith aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was released onbond after Justice Court Judge Donnie Mullins set a $20,000appearance bond during an initial hearing Sunday, Thames said.
“There is speculation that there will be additional chargesfiled today by the Ingle family,” the sheriff said.
Ingle was one of several family members and friends camping outon a sandbar above Dickson’s property at the edge of Lincoln Countyalong Fair River, Thames said. The group had the approval oflandowners to be at the location.
Apparently, Thames said, the group was riding theirfour-wheelers along the river around midnight when the shots werefired.
“The statements we’ve taken say that as many as three shots werefired,” Thames said. “We did find three shell casings at thescene.”
During the shooting, Ingle was struck in the chest and shoulderarea with buckshot, Thames said. A Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun wasrecovered.
Dickson called 911 at 12:09 a.m. Sunday and said he had shot aperson and required an ambulance, the sheriff said.
Dickson has declined comment citing pending litigation, Thamessaid.
The shooting is the latest in an ongoing controversy surroundingFair River and whether it should be declared public or privateproperty.
A town meeting was held last year to discuss the concerns ofproperty owners along the river and ATV riders that turned volatileat times.
Fair River is declared public property up the “confluence ofBear Creek,” according to Thames. From there on, it becomes privateproperty.
The Dickson property is in a disputed area, Thames said, and atthis point in the investigation he could not say whether Ingle wasshot on public or private property.