Man to appear in court after pointing gun at four people

The preliminary charges filed this week against McCauley include intimidation, a class C felony, and pointing a firearm, a class D felony.

McCauley was arrested by Greene County Sheriff's Deputy J. Aaron Smith after Smith was dispatched to a location in Beech Creek Township in eastern Greene County around 12:58 p.m. on Saturday on the report of someone making threats with a weapon.

When Smith arrived on the scene on County Road 550N west of CR 1000E, he drove past a man, later identified as McCauley, standing up against a large round bale of hay near the driveway.

Smith first spoke to a couple, James S. and Diane C. Harris, who told Smith they had property they were in the process of clearing but had been having problems with the neighboring McCauley in gaining access to the property. They showed Smith court documents granting them permission to clear a 35-foot right-of-way to gain access to their property.

Smith was told that when the couple arrived on the property, there was a pile of brush blocking the lane so James Harris got out of his vehicle and started to move the pile so he could drive back the lane. Randy and Deanna McCauley then started walking towards the Harris couple and Randy McCauley started to yell at James Harris that he couldn't cut anything on his property. The Harrises said McCauley then started cursing and said he would stop them. McCauley then left saying he would be right back to stop them.

When the Harris couple finished clearing the pile of brush from the lane and drove back and parked on their own property, the affidavit states they noticed some of the items on their property had been damaged. Then they saw McCauley walking from his barn back down toward them with a gun in his hand. Diane Harris called the Sheriff's Department.

The Harrises told the deputy that McCauley then stopped on the lane and raised the gun to his shoulder, pointing the gun at James and Diane Harris as they were sitting in their vehicle. He then walked back near a wood shed and a large round bale of hay and stood watching. They said they felt they had nowhere to go.

A short time later, another couple, Dale and Andrea Dukate, arrived. They were coming to help the Harrises in clearing the land.

The Dukates told the deputy when they got out their vehicle, they were met by McCauley who was yelling at them to get off his property or he would shoot them. Dale Dukate said McCauley was carrying what appeared to be a black shotgun in one hand while pointing what he thought was a silver-colored .357 towards he and Andrea Dukate.

When the deputy spoke to McCauley in the back of his barn, McCauley was upset and said he and James Harris had gotten into a verbal argument about cutting trees down. The affidavit states McCauley said James Harris had threatened to shoot him so he went back to his house and got a shotgun. McCauley denied pointing a firearm and also said he had not seen the Harrises or Dukates with any weapons.

According to the affidavit, McCauley told the deputy he would do whatever it took to protect his property even if it meant killing someone.

The deputy seized a black Winchester 12-gauge shotgun. He unloaded three shotgun rounds with one in the chamber. He also seized a silver Taurus .40 caliber handgun which had been loaded with seven rounds plus one in the chamber.

McCauley was placed under arrest and transported to the Greene County Jail. He was released later in the day after posting $4,000 bond.