Attempted homicide charges withdrawn against Mt. Pleasant shooting suspect
A pair of attempted homicide charges filed against an Amwell Township man accused of firing a weapon at an occupied vehicle in Mt. Pleasant Township in February was withdrawn during his preliminary hearing Friday.
While the two most serious charges against Jacob Alexander Loar were withdrawn by prosecutors, District Judge Louis McQuillan ordered him to stand trial on all other charges, including two felony counts of aggravated assault, one charge of child endangerment and four misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment.
Mt. Pleasant Township police said Loar, 26, was at a bonfire in the 300 block of Lynn Portal Road in the early hours of Feb. 25 when he allegedly fired multiple shots with a 9mm handgun at a vehicle being driven by Dakoda Smith. Police said there was also a 14-year-old in the car.
Witnesses told police that Loar used the grip of the handgun to smash the front driver’s side window, according to court documents, before he allegedly pointed the gun at the occupants. The people inside the vehicle heard gunfire, and police said Loar continued to fire at the car as they drove away from the area.
No one was injured, but investigators found 13 shell casings in the vicinity of the shooting.
A search of Loar’s residence in the 200 block of Carey Way in Amwell Township located a 9mm handgun, according to court documents. He was charged March 13 and arrested the following day, according to online court records.
Loar is free on $150,000 bond while he awaits trial.