Drunk shooter arrested on west Athens street

By Joe Johnson

An Athens man was arrested late the evening of August 14th for shooting a gun in public while he apparently was very drunk.

Thomas E. Hurst, 62, of Baxter Drive., was charged with reckless conduct, discharging a firearm while intoxicated, and being a pedestrian under the influence of alcohol.

The incident happened just before midnight when a police officer at the Baxter Street substation heard gunfire and went looking for its source,

He spotted Hurst standing in the middle of the road with a dog near Baxter Drive.

By the time the officer turned his patrol car around to speak with the man he was no longer in sight, but while driving down Baxter Drive he saw Hurst behind the Kroger gas station, firing a gun straight up into the air.

Hurst was stumbling and slow to respond to commands and at one point he turned to face the officer while holding the gun,

He eventually tossed the weapon to the ground and

laid down to be arrested.

A second pistol was found holstered in his waistband, and it was noted that he smelled strongly and alcohol.

Hurst was released from jail the following morning upon posting bail.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on October 15th,