A 55-year-old Bridgeville man is facing ten criminal charges after he allegedly barged into a barn in Felton, threatened to kill a man inside, then pointed the weapon at a second person and fired a shot as he fled the barn and left the property. John Baker was intoxicated during the incident, according to investigators, and was arrested the next day after he himself called 911 from a nearby gas station.
What Happened Inside the Barn
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, the confrontation unfolded around 11:40 p.m. on September 17 in the 500 block of Black Swamp Road, when Baker entered a barn on the property and got into an argument with a man already inside. Investigators say Baker pulled out a gun, pointed it at the man and threatened to kill him before fleeing the barn. As he left, police said Baker pointed the gun at a second person who had entered the barn and fired a single shot into the air before leaving the property. No one was seriously injured during the encounter, investigators said.
A Delaware State Police news release published Sunday laid out the scope of the charges Baker now faces: two counts of aggravated menacing, two counts of first-degree reckless endangering, and charges of burglary, firearm possession during a felony, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, tampering with physical evidence, terroristic threats and offensive touching, according to the Delaware State Police. Detectives with the department's Criminal Investigations Unit also recovered a spent shell casing from the scene while processing the property, the same release states, corroborating that a round had been fired there.
Arrest Followed Baker's Own 911 Call
Baker reported his own location to 911 dispatchers the following day, September 18, telling them he was at a gas station in the 11000 block of South Dupont Highway in Felton, according to state police. State troopers and detectives responded and took Baker into custody without incident. Detectives later recovered the weapon used in the confrontation after police said Baker had given the gun to a friend before his arrest.
Baker was later arraigned. Following his arraignment, he was committed to the Department of Correction on a $116,600 cash bond.
The Charges Against Baker
Baker faces a charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He also faces a first-degree burglary charge.
Aggravated menacing is the charge tied to Baker allegedly pointing the gun at the two people.
Motive Remains Unclear
The relationship or motive behind the argument between Baker and the man inside the barn remains unclear.
In a prior Bridgeville home invasion in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, two assailants assaulted a homeowner inside his residence before stealing his car; the case was investigated with assistance from the Allegheny County Police Department.
