Police Say Man Was
Shooting Near Children

By Dan Hust
MONTICELLO — July 7, 2000 -- A Monticello resident was charged with several offenses after he allegedly fired a gun near children playing in a driveway.
According to Monticello Village Police, Karl Spitzley, 48, was arrested after a struggle Wednesday evening at his residence on Park Avenue in Monticello. He was charged with first degree reckless endangerment, a felony; third degree criminal possession of a weapon, also a felony; second degree menacing, a misdemeanor; obstructing governmental administration, also a misdemeanor; and discharging a firearm within Village of Monticello limits, a violation of village law.
Police claim Spitzley fired a semi-automatic .22-caliber rifle from the doorway of his apartment shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday. He allegedly fired the gun, which was outfitted with a banana clip containing 43 rounds of ammunition, in the general direction of children playing on a nearby driveway.
Police believe he had been drinking and was despondent over family issues.
When Detective Thomas O’Connor and Police Officer Mark Johnstone arrived, Spitzley was still holding the rifle. After repeated orders to drop the gun, he placed it on top of a car but refused to back away from it. Police then sprayed him with pepper spray, but he continued to resist arrest. Johnstone used his baton to force Spitzley to the ground, where he was handcuffed and taken into custody.
No one was injured, save for Spitzley during his confrontation with police, although those injuries were deemed minor.
The gun was found to have a jammed bullet inside the receiver.
Spitzley was immediately taken to village lockup and was arraigned yesterday in Village of Monticello Court, where he’ll reappear Monday. He is currently in Sullivan County Jail without bail.