A Jennings County man fired shots at a man he caught breaking into the home of his son Thursday afternoon, police reported.
The incident led to the arrests of two North Vernon residents, Omar G. Burton, 36, and his wife, Nichol R. Burton, 38, on Level 4 burglary charges. A third person, Afton D. Davis, 26, of Nineveh, also was arrested on Level 6 felony charges of assisting a criminal and possession of methamphetamine.
No one was injured in the incident in which Dennis L. Moore told dispatchers he fired shots at a man, later identified as Omar Burton, after seeing him and a woman breaking into the home at 8210 N. County Road 1000W. That incident was reported to Jennings County dispatchers at 1:39 p.m. Thursday.
Lt. Mike Mowery with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department said Friday afternoon that Moore told investigators he saw Burton carrying two guns when he left the house.
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“He (Moore) said the man pointed one of the weapons at him,” Mowery said.
But Moore said he fired shots at the man, who fled on foot into the woods.
Police said Moore told them he had initially held the woman, later identified as Nichol Burton, at gunpoint, but she fled with her husband.
Officers from several agencies arrived and set up a perimeter around the area to contain the suspects.
Nichol Burton was arrested by a state trooper when she was found walking on County Road 750N near County Road 1000W. After her arrest, she gave police her husband’s cellphone number, police said.
Jennings County Colonel Jeff Day called Omar Burton’s cellphone and told him to turn himself in to police. According to police, during the conversation Omar Burton told them he had not been injured when Moore shot at him.
Around 6:45 p.m., Omar Burton was arrested after he was found inside a residence at 9230 W. County Road 800N, police said.
The third suspect, Davis, was arrested when police found her in a vehicle in a driveway on County Road 800N.
At that time, police said Davis told them Omar Burton had called and asked her to pick him up.
Besides the burglary charges, both Burtons face a Class A misdemeanor charge of resisting law enforcement by fleeing.
Omar Burton also faces a Level 4 felony charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while Nichol Burton faces an additional Class A misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
Davis also faces a Level 6 felony charge of possession of methamphetamine and three Class A misdemeanor charges of false informing, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.
Mowery said Friday morning he’s uncertain if charges will be filed against Moore for firing at Burton, but the case remains under investigation.
County police were assisted by officers with North Vernon Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Columbus City Police Department and Indiana State Police.
