Police say 19-year-old Marietta man Matheus Silveira Souza pointed a gun at a man sitting inside a parked car outside a Southeast Marietta condo complex, then used the pistol to smash through the driver-side window. Souza faces a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon stemming from the confrontation.
According to an arrest warrant cited by the Marietta Daily Journal, Souza approached a condo at 2667 Moss Lane SE around 1:10 a.m. on September 21, where the victim was sitting in a car parked in the driveway. Souza allegedly brandished a pistol at the man before using the weapon to punch through the car's driver-side window, the warrant states.
The Cobb County Police Department issued the arrest warrant, and Souza was held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, per the same account.
How Georgia's Bail Rules Work
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is classified as a felony under Georgia Code § 16-5-21, carrying a potential sentence of one to 20 years in prison, according to Justia. Georgia's misdemeanor bail practices guidance discusses release rules for bail-restricted offenses, including secured bail or a formal judicial bond determination, according to the Georgia courts system.
For offenses designated as bail-restricted, the guidance describes secured bail or a formal judicial bond determination. Separately, Georgia law requires a first appearance before a judicial officer within 72 hours for people arrested under a warrant on a misdemeanor.
Part of a Pattern of Gun-Brandishing Arrests in Cobb County
Souza's case follows one earlier vehicle-related gun incident in the Marietta area this year. In July, Cobb County authorities held another Marietta resident without bond after he allegedly pointed a 9-millimeter handgun out his driver-side window at occupants of another vehicle on Canton Road, according to East Cobb News. Hoodline has also reported on the July Canton Road incident involving John Michael Wier.
The incidents involve alleged firearm threats during vehicle encounters.
Policing Resources in a Growing County
The Cobb County Police Department, which serves a population of roughly 567,781 people, operates on an annual budget of about $156.56 million, or roughly $275 per resident, according to figures listed by Police Scorecard.
What prompted the confrontation on Moss Lane, and whether Souza and the victim knew each other, remains unclear. It is also not yet known whether additional charges, such as criminal damage to property or weapons offenses, will be added when the case is formally submitted to the Cobb County District Attorney's Office for indictment. Souza is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
