Drury man arrested after shooting at couple skinning fish near Highway 95 bridge

Luke Seidel of Drury is facing several charges after shooting near a couple late Wednesday, May 21, and pointing a rifle at Ozark County deputies.

An entry in the Ozark County Sheriff’s report stated that Ozark County dispatch received a 911 call at approximately 9:29 p.m. from a man who said shots had been fired at him and his wife while they were skinning catfish at the Highway 95 bridge in Drury.

According to the probable cause statement filed by Ozark County Deputy Hunter Ryan, the caller stated that he and his wife were at the bridge when a man, later identified as Seidel, came out of a brown house on the right side of the bridge and shot approximately 15 shots in the general direction of the couple. The caller said an armed Seidel told them that after dark they “did not want to be there.”

The husband asked who the armed man was and Seidel stated “it did not matter and they was staring down the barrel of an M4.” The couple left the area immediately. They told the dispatcher they could be contacted if the officers needed more information.

At approximately 10:32 p.m., Ryan and fellow Ozark County deputies Jeff Lane and Vesa Phelan arrived at the Highway 95 bridge and searched for shell casings or ricochet marks. Ryan wrote that the deputies did not locate any casings or marks so they went to the brown house at the right edge of the bridge to speak with the possible suspect. Ryan recognized Seidel from previous calls involving the man. 

According to the probable cause statement, deputies arrived with the emergency lights activated on the patrol car but without sirens. “Upon Deputy Lane announcing Sheriff’s Department and ringing [the] doorbell several times (which he could hear ringing) no one ansered the door. Deputy Lane saw several spent shells laying in a pile on the front porch.

“Upon Deputy Lane turning to walk back to the vehicle, gun shots were fired from what sounded like the side or back of the residence.”

Ryan wrote that after the deputies announced themselves several times, Seidel, wearing nothing but a pair of gym shorts, stepped out the front door. According to Ryan, Seidel had a rifle “slung around his neck” and the attached flashlight and rifle were pointed toward the deputies.

“We gave the male commands to drop the rifle and to step away from the rifle. The male was very incoherent and reluctant to follow commands,” the statement says.

Ryan stated that as he cuffed Seidel he could smell alcohol on his breath and that Seidel “was unable to make sense with some of his sentences” and was slurring his speech. 

According to the probable cause statement, several empty beer bottles were found on the front porch of the residence. Seidel was taken into custody and transported to the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office. Seidel refused a breathalyzer, blood draw and gun shot residue test.

Deputies still on scene seized several empty shell casings off the front porch of the residence and 19 empty shell casings out of the back yard just below the back deck. The casings matched the caliber of rifle Seidel had when he came out of the residence, according to the probable cause.

Seidel is charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by knowingly shooting a firearm at the two victims, two counts of first degree harassment by pointing a firearm at and shooting toward the victims, two counts of armed criminal action by committing harassment with the assistance of a deadly weapon, two counts of fourth degree assault by pointing a rifle and shooting in the direction of the victims, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by discharging his weapon while he was intoxicated and after the deputies announced their presence.

At presstime, Seidel remained in the Ozark County Jail and was scheduled for arraignment before Ozark County Associate Judge Raymond Gross at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 27. Arraignment results were not available at presstime.