Mich. Man Gets 10 Months For Shooting At Repossessor

MOUNT PLEASANT, MI — In an effort to stop a repo man from seizing his truck, an Isabella County man began shooting at him from a tractor.

The ill-advised act has cost him months in jail and a debt of nearly $700.

Isabella County Circuit Judge Sara Spencer-Noggle on Tuesday, Feb. 25, sentenced 29-year-old Travis C. Moose to 10 months in jail with credit for 126 days already served.

She further ordered him to pay $658 in court costs and fines.

Moose in January pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, a four-year felony.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss a life-offense count of assault with intent to murder and two counts of felony firearm, a conviction of which mandates a two-year prison term consecutive to any related stint.

Moose withdrew an insanity defense in making his pleas. The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on Oct. 22. About 11:30 a.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a man firing a gun at a tow truck driver in the 5000 block of South Lincoln Road in Union Township. A detective was across the street on a separate matter when the call came in.

The detective and a deputy quickly located and arrested the suspect, identified as Moose.

Investigators determined the tow truck driver had been repossessing a vehicle from Moose’s parents’ residence. The driver spoke with Moose beforehand, explaining why he was there, an affidavit authored by a deputy states.

As the driver began towing the vehicle away, he saw Moose driving north on a green farm tractor. The repo man then heard the distinctive “pop noise” of a gunshot, the affidavit states.

The repo man saw Moose wave a gun at him then fire it about five to six times. The repo man was uninjured by the bullets.

Moose’s mother told deputies her son drove a tractor to her place after the repo man arrived. She was in her yard when she heard a gunshot and saw her son aiming a handgun in the air.

Deputies recovered the 9mm Smith & Wesson inside the house and two fired casings outside, the affidavit states. A civilian witness who was driving by also told deputies they saw Moose firing at the tow truck and its driver.

Moose told deputies he fired two shots in the air to get the repo man’s attention, the affidavit states.

While in the back of a patrol vehicle, Moose bashed his head against the plastic divider. As a result, deputies took him to a local hospital for an evaluation, then lodged him in the Isabella County Jail.