Man convicted for intimidating Birdseye church
A man arrested in 2016 for intimidating a small church south of Birdseye by firing guns in view of the church congregation was found guilty of two counts of Level 5 felony intimidation and two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct in court today.
Josh McBride, of 8042 South State Road 145, was originally charged with the two counts of intimidation, a Level 6 felony count of criminal recklessness and four misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct.
During the conviction, Superior Court Judge Mark McConnell stated that McBride would only face sentencing on a single charge of intimidation which carries a penalty of one to six years in jail. Sentencing was set for January 4, 2018, at 3 p.m.
The state attempted to have McBride taken into custody today after the trial but Judge McConnell denied the request stating McBride had not demonstrated he was flight risk and would not hear testimony that he may be a danger to the public.
The case began when deputies responded to a call of shots fired and explosions near a church in the southeastern portion of the county at about 8:48 a.m. Sunday, February 28.
The caller reported that the church congregation at the Anderson Valley Christian Church at 8084 South State Road 145 had witnessed three individuals later identified as McBride and two other individuals all who resided at 8042 South State Road 145, south of Birdseye at the time, shooting a three-round burst twice within the past five minutes. Dispatch was also told that at least two explosions had occurred.
When officers arrived at the church, they found a dead dog’s decapitated body hanging from the bucket of a backhoe in front of a large stone cross located on the neighboring property.
McBride told the Dubois County Free Press at the time that the family has had two dogs and two cats sicken and die in recent weeks.The dog’s head had been removed to be sent to a veterinarian in Louisville to determine the cause of death, McBride said.
He said he plans on appealing the conviction.
More information can be found at this story.
Dubois County deputies respond to shots fired and explosions near church