A 54-year-old Washington man is accused of firing a handgun into the air at a Greenville intersection, landing him in the Pitt County jail without bond. Kelvin Eugene Godley was arrested Friday after police say shots rang out near Arlington Boulevard and Hooker Road, a busy crossing in the city.
According to wcti12.com, a magistrate's order says the shooting happened at that intersection, and Greenville police arrested Godley on Oct. 30. He now faces charges of discharging a firearm within city limits and possessing a firearm as a felon, the station reports.
A Decade-Old Conviction Resurfaces
The felon-in-possession charge traces back to a 2008 Beaufort County Superior Court conviction for possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, per the same account. That case ended with Godley sentenced to 30 months of supervised probation, according to the warrant cited in the report.
Nearly two decades later, that conviction is now central to the new case against him, since North Carolina law bars convicted felons from possessing firearms. The relevant statute, The Felony Firearms Act, spells out that prohibition under state law.
What Greenville's City Code Says About Gunfire
Separately, Greenville has its own local rule against discharging weapons within city limits. The city's municipal code makes it unlawful to fire a gun inside Greenville, with exceptions carved out for law enforcement, lawful self-defense and hunting. A violation on its own is classified as a Class 3 misdemeanor carrying a fine between $100 and $500, and the code also allows for a $250 civil penalty on a first offense, rising to $500 for a repeat violation within 365 days.
It's that local ordinance, paired with the felony weapons charge tied to his 2008 case, that now has Godley facing jail time rather than a simple fine. His court date was set for Friday, Oct. 30, the same day as his arrest, though the outcome of that hearing has not been reported.
Booked Without Bond
Godley is being held at the Pitt County jail without bond, wcti12.com reports. Details about the firearm itself, who else may have been present, or how the shots were ultimately reported to police have not been disclosed in available reporting.
