Dyer County Juvenile Court Judge Tony Childress transferred the case to circuit court on Wednesday afternoon. The teen - Timothy Lee Rucker, 17, 1518 Wheeler St. - was held Wednesday night in the Dyer County Jail in lieu of a $75,000 bond.

Childress determined there were reasonable grounds to believe that Rucker had fired a handgun at 43-year-old James Bonner on Aug. 18. The judge also noted Rucker's lengthy criminal record and previous treatment methods.

An attempt to provide an alibi for Rucker didn't sway the judge. Rucker's attorney, Matt Willis, introduced two witnesses who said Rucker was with them that night, didn't have a gun and didn't shoot at anyone.

Demonte Henning, 16, and Adrian Clark, 18, testified that they spent the evening with Rucker and Andre Long. They said the group walked around the Future City neighborhood together until about 9:30 or 9:45 p.m. A relative picked up Rucker, Clark and Long and took them to Milltown, where Rucker and Clark live with Rucker's mother, Yolanda Watson. Clark and Rucker are cousins.

When they got home, Clark said he and Rucker discovered the electricity wasn't working. Instead of sitting in the heat, Clark said the trio called Rucker's grandmother about 10:10 p.m. and asked her to come get them.

It was about that time that Rucker was accused of firing a .380-caliber handgun at Bonner.

Bonner testified Wednesday that he and his wife were in Future City looking to purchase crack cocaine. He said he saw a man who'd previously provided him with drugs and pulled over to talk. As his van slowed almost to a stop, a second man appeared with a gun pointed at Bonner. Shots were fired and Bonner said he sped away as bullets shattered one window and punctured the side of the van.

One of the bullets pierced the driver's seat and struck Bonner's back. While the bullet remained lodged in the seat, Bonner said his skin was broken and swollen. Bonner said his wife suffered a forehead cut because of the flying glass.

Bonner said he recognized Rucker because he had purchased crack cocaine from him at least three times before. On one occasion, Bonner said Rucker sold him counterfeit cocaine and, the next time, Bonner said he shortchanged Rucker in retaliation.

Terry McCreight, chief investigator for the Dyer County Sheriff's Department, said he was headed home when he saw the van approach the curb near the intersection of Scott Street and Rawls Avenue. McCreight said he stopped to watch because illegal drug sales had been reported there.

McCreight said he saw a black man fire shots into the van. The man, estimated to be 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9, was wearing a black shirt and black pants.

McCreight said he called the dispatcher's office and told the dispatcher to alert the Dyersburg Police Department.

Claude West, 23, of Dyersburg, testified that he'd purchased pills from Rucker earlier that evening. Rucker had a .380-caliber handgun with him at the time, West said.

West said Rucker returned later, chasing Bonner's vehicle, telling bystanders to get back and then hiding behind a tree. When the van pulled up, Rucker ran out from behind the tree, pointed his gun and began shooting, he said. West said Rucker was wearing a black shirt and long blue jeans shorts.

Willis repeatedly asked West if he'd changed his version of events. West said he hadn't. Willis later called Dyersburg Patrolman Shawn Crouch to the witness stand to impeach West's testimony. Crouch testified that West told him Aug. 18 that someone in the white van had fired shots at a house where West and several others had gathered. Crouch said he searched for bullets and bullet holes on the home's exterior and carport. He found no evidence that shots had been fired toward the house.

Cynthia Langford, a probation officer and case manager from the Department of Children's Services, said she began working with Rucker in 2005. He was committed to Wilder Youth Development Center from June 2006 to June 2007 and received additional services when he returned home. She said he was scheduled to go to a boot camp program, but that changed when he was charged with additional offenses.

While Langford reluctantly said she didn't know what else to do for Rucker, she said Rucker had made some progress. She said he willingly met with her and submitted to drug screens; two things she said many of her clients decline to do.

Assistant District Attorney Reneé Creasy noted that Rucker had been charged with eight thefts, an assault, an aggravated assault, at least four felonies and a smattering of misdemeanors, including resisting arrest and five counts of violating his house arrest in the last few years.

Rucker was facing additional charges of forgery and marijuana possession at the time of the shooting. After the attempted murder charges were transferred to adult court, Creasy said the state had decided not to prosecute the forgery and marijuana charges.