Drivers on Perth Road got a shock that had nothing to do with potholes when deputies say a Troutman man opened fire on passing cars with pellet-like rounds, damaging several vehicles and rattling nearby residents. Investigators identified 58-year-old James Bost as the suspected shooter and executed a search warrant at his home after a reported incident on May 2. Deputies say they seized a BB rifle, pellets and other pellet-capable weapons. Bost now faces multiple felony charges and is being held on a $50,000 bond.
What deputies say
The Iredell County Sheriff's Office says the investigation started back in February after multiple drivers reported damage to their vehicles along Perth Road. Detectives followed up on tips and eventually set up surveillance to zero in on a suspect, according to WCCB Charlotte. Surveillance footage reportedly captured pellet rounds being fired from a driveway, and deputies say a search warrant at that address turned up a BB rifle, pellets and additional weapons capable of firing similar rounds. Sheriff Darren Campbell publicly thanked residents for speaking up and credited detectives for the surveillance work that led to the arrest.
Neighbors flagged the problem months earlier
Locals had already been raising red flags about pellet hits by early April, when Troutman town council members were told the sheriff's office was digging into reports of pellet-gun strikes along Perth Road, as reported by Iredell Free News. Perth Road is a rural, two-lane corridor with a posted 55 mph speed limit that runs between Troutman and Mooresville, a stretch county planners have already flagged for upgrades in the Iredell County transportation plan Iredell County CTP. Residents later told officials that their calls and tips helped steer investigators toward the targeted surveillance that culminated in Bost's arrest.
Charges and next steps
According to deputies, Bost is charged with eight counts of assault with a deadly weapon and eight counts of injury to personal property, and a magistrate set his bond at $50,000, WCCB Charlotte reports. The charges allege he intentionally fired rounds at occupied vehicles traveling the road. Prosecutors will review the case and decide whether to seek formal indictments and move it into court. Bost remains presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in a court of law.
