Posted 3:45 am Tuesday, June 26, 2012
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Man Arrested In Weekend Shooting
A Cherokee County man was arrested on multiple charges during the weekend after authorities said he shot his ex-wife's fiance.
About 8:45 a.m. Saturday, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call for a shooting victim.
According to a news release, the caller, Mary (Skinner) Chambers, reported that she and her fiance, Clarence Watts, were at the Alto Police Department needing help because Watts was shot by her ex-husband, S.C. Skinner.
Deputies and emergency medical services responded to the police department parking lot and met with Ms. Chambers and Watts, who told authorities the shooting occurred in front of Skinner's residence on County Road 2907 in the Weeping Mary community, west of Alto, according to a news release.
She said she and Watts went to Skinner's home to pick up her 17-year-old son and take him to work because he needed a ride, and that she was driving and Watts was in the passenger side of the truck, the news release states.
Sheriff's Capt. John Raffield said when they pulled up in front of the home, Skinner came out with a pump shotgun, walked in front of the truck, pointed the gun at the passenger side front windshield and fired, striking the passenger side front windshield where Watts was sitting.
After Skinner fired the gun, he came around to the driver's side window and yelled at Ms. Chambers, he said.
Several family members, who heard the gunshot, ran out of Skinner's residence and pulled him back inside.
Ms. Chambers and Watts immediately pulled away from the house and went to Alto police for help.
Watts, 64, had several pellets of birdshot and glass in his face and chest and was taken to East Texas Medical Center in Rusk for treatment. He has since been treated and released.
Sheriff's Lt. Gina Battley worked with Deputy Robin Parsons to obtain arrest warrants for Skinner, which were served in Alto just after 2 p.m. Saturday.
Skinner, 49, was arrested and taken to the Cherokee County Jail, where he was booked in on one charge of aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, and third-degree felony deadly conduct.
Skinner was arraigned Sunday morning by Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 Judge Vera Foreman, who set the bonds at $25,000 for the aggravated assault charge and $20,000 for the deadly conduct charge.
Skinner made bond later Sunday.
Raffield said the case likely will make it to the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office today.
