OWENSVILLE — A juvenile male suffered an apparent ricochet gunshot wound to his right arm Monday morning and an Owensville man has been charged with second-degree domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with the incident.

An Owensville Police officer and a Gasconade County Sheriff’s Deputy responded late Monday morning to the Owensville Area Ambulance District’s building for a report of a juvenile male with a gunshot wound.

The incident took place in the 1900 block of Krausetown Road near Owensville and deputies responded there for a report of a domestic assault involving a firearm.

Sheriff Scott Eiler said the victim was a brother to a woman residing at the residence. He also lived there along with a man identified as Ethan (Ethaniel) W. Smith. All three live together at the residence, said Eiler.

Smith is alleged to have been in a disagreement with the juvenile and fired three rounds from a handgun into the air. One round apparently ricocheted off metal post on a carport porch area and struck the boy, 17-years-old, in the right tricep.

According to Eiler, city police and deputies responded to the Owensville Ambulance building to speak with the juvenile victim who suffered a gunshot wound to the arm during the altercation. At the scene, deputies met with the suspect, identified as Ethan W. Smith. Deputies learned that during a verbal altercation, Smith retrieved a firearm and shot three times in the air. One round apparently deflected off a metal pole and struck the juvenile victim in the arm. 

The boy was examined by ambulance personnel, had his arm placed in a splint, and was transported to an undisclosed  hospital by family members for further medical treatment. Smith was taken into custody and transported to Osage County Adult Detention Facility and placed on a 24-hour hold on allegations of domestic assault. On Tuesday (April 9), Smith was charged with second-degree domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon (subsection 4, exhibiting). His bond was set at $10,000 cash or surety.

Sheriff’s deputies along with LANEG served a search warrant Monday night at the house on the corner of Marvin and North Cuba in Owensville. Arrested near the scene was Donald Thorn who was wanted on three outstanding warrants along with pending charges for possession of a controlled substance, according to Eiler.