FARMINGTON – A local businessman and the chairman of the Farmington Planning Board pleaded guilty to reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon Monday in Franklin County Superior Court.
Clayton King, 71 of Farmington, pleaded guilty to the Class C felony as part of an arranged plea that includes a 24-month deferred disposition. The charge King pleaded to indicates that he “did recklessly create a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to [three named individuals] with the use of a dangerous weapon, a firearm.”
According to a recitation of facts that Assistant District Attorney Josh Robbins said the state would have presented had the case gone to trial, two of the named individuals were outside an apartment complex located on Titcomb Hill Road on Sept. 3, 2015, when they heard something whizz through the air and strike the building with a cloud of dust. A third individual was inside the residence, Robbins said, and heard something strike the wall a short distance from where they were resting.
Looking down toward the Fish N Play pond, owned by King, two of the individuals reported seeing King get into a vehicle and drive away.
Maine Game Wardens investigated the incident, digging a .22 caliber slug out of the building which was a “close, but not absolute” match to a rifle in King’s possession. King said he was shooting near, but not at, a black-colored waterfowl to scare it away from the stocked fishing pond.
According to King’s attorney, Walter Hanstein, the bullet apparently struck the water and then ricocheted up the hill to strike the building.
As part of the arranged plea, King will need to refrain from criminal conduct and the possession or use of firearms for 24 months to satisfy the conditions of the deferred disposition agreement. If he does this, he will be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea and plead instead to reckless conduct, a misdemeanor offense, and pay a $300 fine.
If he violates the terms of the agreement, he could be sentenced up to five years in prison on the Class C felony.
King will also be responsible for paying restitution to the apartment complex for damages relating to the bullet. Neither Hanstein nor Robbins had that figure as of Monday morning.
Per statute, King will need to surrender the .22 rifle to the state as a result of the conviction. That surrender will take place upon execution of sentence in 2018, Robbins noted.
[Editor’s Note: The reporter and attorney Walter Hanstein are related.]
This man should never be allowed to possess a firearm again. He could
have killed someone with his recklessness
Clayton King is a good person and is an engaged and responsible citizen and has given much of himself to our community. We are lucky to have such a man. It is unfortunate that this unintended incident occurred and does not reflect the good person he is.
I agree with Bill.. I have dealt with Clayton a lot.. He is a good man. Good luck Clayton
Everyone makes mistakes this does not reflect the type of person they are! I’m sure the good his had done for our community far exceeds the mistakes made. Best of luck Clayton!
I also agree with Bill. He was trying to protect the fish that he put in the pond that he made and opened to the public to give children and their families a nice place to go and fish and have a picnic. People are so quick to judge other people. His intention was to scare off the bird’s that swoop in and eat the fish that clayton stocked the pond with for the public! His intention wasn’t to harm any human being, only to scare off the fish eating bird’s. I’m thankful for what Clayton has done for the public. My girls and I have had the opportunity of hanging out at the pond and have enjoyed it very much. The girls got to feed the fish and watch them come to the top to eat. Its a quiet peaceful place he made for families to get together and have fun and enjoy just like my little family has!
I’m sure you who know him are correct, but the only reason there are comments being made is because of poor judgement with an instrument that could have had detrimental effects. Just because that didn’t happen should not be down played – had someone (instead of a building) been hit……… Keep in mind, guns do no harm – the hands they are in do the harm.
Clayton was, and is, my friend. Nothing has changed.
Good man, bad mistake. Fortunately, no one was hurt or worse. I’m sure it won’t happen again. Seems like some over-reaction by some, compared, for example, to the usual reaction to OUI incidents, anyone who has ever OUI is in no position to throw stones in this case, and many of them are repeat offenders.
AH People bullets don’t bounce off water. doesn’t happen ….