Teen charged with attempted murder to be held in detention

The husband was shot in the back and the wife was injured by flying glass after a teen-ager reportedly began firing upon their van without warning.

The teen-ager accused of shooting at the couple appeared Friday in Dyer County Juvenile Court. After hearing testimony in a detention hearing, Judge Tony Childress ordered that the 17-year-old Dyersburg boy be held in detention until his case is resolved.

The boy has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.

The victim -- James Bonner, 43, of Dyersburg -- testified Friday that he had driven to the Future City neighborhood to look for illegal drugs on Monday night, Aug. 18. He spotted "Yo," a man who'd given him drugs before. Bonner turned his van around and went back to talk to Yo near the intersection of Scott Street and Rawls Avenue. Bonner said that as he approached Yo, someone else ran up behind Yo and started shooting.

Bonner said he wasn't sure how many shots were fired. He heard glass breaking and felt something hit his back. He quickly drove away.

Bonner said he didn't get very far before seeing the flashing blue lights of a police car and stopping. Bonner said that he originally believed that the bullet had entered his back. He later discovered that the bullet was lodged in his seat, but the impact had broken the skin on his back and caused swelling. Bonner said his wife, Donna, suffered a cut on her forehead from flying glass.

Bonner recognized the shooter. He said he'd met the teen-ager three or four months ago while purchasing crack cocaine. The second time Bonner purchased crack from the teen, it turned out not to be crack. So, the next time Bonner bought drugs, he said he shortchanged the teen-ager.

Bonner said the teen-ager and two other males jumped him about two months ago and beat him.

Bonner, a self-employed construction worker, moved to Dyersburg from Shreveport, La., about five months ago. "It's wrong to do (drugs), but it's not no everyday thing," Bonner said. He said alcohol is his preferred drug of choice and he'd had two beers that night.

A number of persons reportedly witnessed the shooting. One of those, Claude West, 23, of Dyersburg, testified Friday that several people were attending a chicken fry in the carport of a Scott Street house. He said he saw Bonner's van pass the house, turn around and come back. As the van made its first pass, West said the teen-ager said, "Tell your guys to stay back." When Bonner's van pulled up, the teen began shooting with a .380-caliber handgun that West had seen in the teen's possession earlier that day.

Dyersburg Police Lt. Billy Williams said witness statements led him to suspect the teen could have been the shooter, but he couldn't locate the teen immediately. The teen reported to juvenile court Wednesday on previous charges and was taken into custody. The teen told police he was in the Future City neighborhood about 9:30 p.m. Monday, caught a ride to his mother's home in Milltown and later got a ride to his grandmother's home in Future City. The teen told police he was on the east side of town at the time of the shooting.

Williams said six shell casings were found in the street and they appeared to be from a .380-caliber weapon. He said the gun was never recovered, but the teen's hands were tested for gunpowder residue. The test results are not back yet.

The teen has been in legal trouble repeatedly for the last few years. Cynthia Lankford, a probation officer and case manager from the Department of Children's Services, said she began working with the teen in September 2005. He was committed to a juvenile correctional facility in June 2006 for theft, criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct, criminal impersonation and marijuana possession charges as well as five counts of violating his house arrest. His record also includes charges of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

The teen's mother testified that she'd make sure her son abided by the terms of his house arrest if the judge would allow him to remain home. She said that her son was living with his grandmother the five times he'd previously violated house arrest.

Under cross-examination, the mother admitted that she is currently on probation for simple possession of cocaine and driving with a revoked license.

Childress said he found that there is probable cause to believe the teen did commit a crime and that detention was warranted to protect the community.

The teen is scheduled to return to juvenile court at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, for a transfer hearing. The district attorney's office has asked that the teen be tried as an adult -- a request the judge will consider on Tuesday.