WINSLOW TWP., Pa. (EYT) – A local man was arrested for allegedly shooting at his ex-girlfriend’s car and residence in Reynoldsville late Wednesday evening.
Court records show that DuBois-based State Police arrested 44-year-old Dennis Carl Clontz Jr., of Reynoldsville, following the incident that occurred on Wednesday, December 20, in Reynoldsville, Winslow Township, Jefferson County.
According to a complaint filed in Magisterial District Judge David B. Inzana’s office on Thursday, December 21, PSP DuBois troopers were dispatched to a call in the 400 block of Wishaw Road, for shots being fired into a vehicle and residence around 11:33 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20.
Trooper Carol Strishock responded to the residence and observed damage that appeared to be a bullet hole from a small caliber firearm to the driver’s side window of the victim’s 2018 Subaru, the complaint states.
Trooper Strishock then found holes in the vinyl siding of the residence, which also appeared to be from a small caliber firearm, the complaint indicates.
Trooper Strishock interviewed the victim who stated she was watching television around 11:30 p.m. in her living room with her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend. They heard a sound like, “pop, pop, pop,” and they immediately went outside and saw a truck going down the road, according to the complaint.
One of the victims got in her vehicle and followed the truck, which she soon recognized as Dennis Clontz Jr., the complaint notes.
She followed the truck to the Clontz residence, but when she got out of her vehicle, he took off again. She got back in her car and followed him around the block a couple of times. When Clontz pulled back into his driveway, they both got out of their vehicles.
The victim then confronted Clontz and asked him why he was harassing her and damaging her cars. At first, Clontz claimed he didn’t know what she was talking about. She said that she had him on camera and would turn him in to the police if he didn’t give her money for the deductible to get her vehicle repaired, the complaint states.
Clontz said he would pay her on Friday when he got paid, the complaint states.
The victim informed police that Clontz used to be her boyfriend, the complaint notes.
On December 21, around 10:00 a.m., Clontz agreed to speak with police without an attorney. He stated he went to the victim’s residence and, as he was driving by, he shot three rounds at her vehicle with a .177 caliber BB gun, the complaint indicates.
When asked why, Clontz allegedly said, “Bad terms. Why it took this long? I don’t know.” Clontz went on to reportedly say that it was “something stupid” that he had done, and he “shouldn’t have done it,” according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, Clontz further told police he is “tired” of the victim staring at him whenever they pass each other in their vehicles and that she harassed him at Walmart in DuBois.
Clontz related that the BB gun was located in a spare second-floor bedroom and consented to police searching his residence for the gun. He also consented to a search of his truck for any spent shell casings to rule out an automatic pistol, the complaint notes.
Authorities then located a Smith and Wesson CO? BB gun pistol with a loaded magazine, according to the complaint.
Clontz was arraigned before District Judge David Inzana at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, December 21, on the following charges.
- Discharge of a Firearm Into Occupied Structure, Felony 2
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2 (three counts)
- Criminal Mischief – Damage Property, Misdemeanor 3
- Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2 (three counts)
He is currently free after posting 10% of the $20,000.00 monetary bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for January 4, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. with Judge Inzana presiding
