Shot fired, 2 men charged in La Pine dispute

A dog at large in a La Pine neighborhood Tuesday evening led to a fight and a shotgun round being fired into the ground, the arrest of one man and citation of the other, but no injuries or damage, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Both men were charged with being felons in possession of a firearm.

Deputies and Oregon State Police troopers were dispatched around 5:45 p.m. to an address in the 52000 block of Railroad Street on a reported weapons offense, said Sgt. Troy Gotchy. As deputies responded, dispatchers told them at least one shot had been fired, he said.

Deputies arriving on scene learned the man who fired the shot lived in the 52000 block of Skidgel Road, so the first deputies secured the Railroad Street address awhile others watched the house on Skidgel Road, Gotchy said.

A woman living at the home on Skidgel Road called dispatchers and told them the gun was unloaded and had been secured inside the home. The man and woman were called out of the home and detained while the investigation continued, Gotchy said.

Deputies learned Monte Vance Hamilton, 52, and a female companion who live on Skidgel Road had arrived home and led their dogs outside. One of the dogs ran into the area of Lars Harris’s house on Railroad Street, the sergeant said.

Harris heard a commotion outside and came out of his motorhome with a rifle, Gotchy said. Harris then was confronted on his property by Hamilton, and Harris told Hamilton several times to get off his property. Hamilton then approached Harris, and a physical confrontation took place, the sergeant said.

Hamilton then left the Harris property, returned to his motorhome and loaded a shotgun, Gotchy said. He then went outside and fired a shot into the ground. Harris called 91 ad told dispatchers of the dispute and the shot being fired

Hamilton was arrested and lodged in the county jail on Bend on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, second-degree criminal trespass, harassment, second-degree disorderly conduct and felon in possession of a firearm. He remained held Wednesday on $31,000 bail. Harris, 35, was cited and released on the charge of felon in possession of a firearm.

The shotgun was seized as evidence, Gotchy said.