Man jailed for firing shot into house
A Canton Township man was arrested Thursday by state police on charges he fired a shot into a Buffalo Township home almost three years ago.
Robert William Keeling, 36, of 2269 Jefferson Ave., was arraigned before District Judge Ethan Ward on charges of aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, criminal mischief, simple assault and reckless endangerment.
State police were called in the early morning hours of March 14, 2010, to the home of Amanda Lee Plants, 118 Taylorstown Ridge Road, Buffalo, for a report of shots fired.
Trooper Jeffrey Ogrodowski, who filed the charges against Keeling, saw two holes on the outside of the kitchen window, and a bullet was found on top of the kitchen cabinet.
Plants told police that a white pickup truck had been sitting in her driveway. She thought she heard five shots. A short time later, Plants told police that her friend called and reported that her vehicle had been shot. A white vehicle reportedly was seen fleeing the area.
Police went to Keeling’s home about an hour later. They said they found a nempty shell casing and gun on the seat of the truck and spotted Keeling inside, looking out the window. After police identified themselves, they said Keeling came out on the porch, and on his belt was a tan holster. When he was patted down, police said they could feel ammunition in the right front pocket of his pants.
Police obtained search warrants for Keeling’s vehicles and to conduct a test for gunshot residue on his hands. They said a subsequent report indicated he may have recently handled or discharged a firearm, and that Keeling was close to a weapon when it was discharged.
Keeling was placed in the Washington County jail on $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 6 before Ward.