A 41-year-old Wisconsin woman was charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety, negligent handling of a weapon and pointing a firearm at another after a run-in with local hunters in February.
Christina A. Hoyt made her initial appearance on the charges February 16th and was later released on a $3,000 signature bond from Pierce County Jail. The terms of her bond prohibit firearm possession and contact with any of the victim’s named in a criminal complaint.
The event took place on the 15th of February after sheriff’s deputies were called to reports of a woman outside her home shooting a gun. Reported by a group of local coyote hunters who initially reported hearing screaming and yelling followed by gunshots fired toward the group of men, Hoyt admitted to screaming and yelling at the hunters, but denied the allegations of wielding a firearm during the altercation.
When the accused was presented with the possibility of additional charges for obstructing an officer, Hoyt then admitted to bringing a firearm with her. She also later admitted that she had in fact; shot the gun in the general direction of the hunters.
When Hoyt was asked what prompted her actions, she became irate, alleging harassment and stalking by the hunters.
“I did observe that Christina began to foam at the mouth, began slurring her words due to her being upset and angry about the situation,” a deputy wrote in the complaint.
The later inspection of a shotgun located inside the home of the accused revealed a spent shell in the chamber of the 12-gauge and a live round of No.9 buckshot still remaining in the magazine of the weapon.
Prior to the events that unfolded that afternoon, Hoyt had called deputies two days earlier, reporting hunters trespassing on her property. Deputies later determined that no trespassing had occurred during that call.
The complaint concludes: “When asked if these people feared for their safety, they all stated yes they did fear for their safety; that is why they removed their dogs and themselves from the hunting (area) so they were not shot or killed by the female in her yard.”