Claudville Man Arrested After Domestic Shooting Incident; Facing Multiple Felony Charges

BTW21
Jul 22
1 min read

Claudville, Va. (BTW21) — A Claudville man is in custody following a domestic disturbance that escalated into gunfire on Monday afternoon, according to Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith.

James Colton Wuchner, 38, of 193 State Line Road, was arrested and charged with maliciously discharging a firearm inside an occupied dwelling and felony child abuse after allegedly firing a shot inside his home while his girlfriend and her six-year-old son were present.

The Patrick County 911 Communication Center received a frantic call at 12:53 p.m. Monday from a woman reporting that her boyfriend had just fired a shot inside their residence.

Multiple law enforcement officers responded to the call. Senior Deputy Dustin Dillon was the first to arrive on the scene and successfully took Wuchner into custody without further incident.

“A young child was inside the home when the shot was fired. This situation could have ended in tragedy,” Sheriff Smith said. “We are grateful for the swift response of our deputies and the actions that prevented further harm.”

Following Wuchner’s arrest, deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence.

During the search, law enforcement officers recovered a firearm, ammunition, illegal narcotics, and discovered a pass-through bullet hole in the home — further confirming that a round had been discharged indoors.

Investigator Tennille Jessup is leading the ongoing investigation with support from the Patrick County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the Patrick County Department of Social Services.

Wuchner remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.

No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

The case remains under active investigation.