A Pierce County man pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he shot, kidnapped and stole from the mother of his child Friday as she arrived for class at a local community college.
Meko Jones, 37, is charged with first-degree assault, kidnapping, robbery, attempting to elude police and unlawful possession of a firearm. Bail was set at $500,000.
According to charging papers:
The 27-year-old woman had kept the child away from Jones because he had been on a long-term drug binge.
Jones confronted her as she arrived at her school, and took her at gunpoint to her car. When she tried to grab the barrel of the revolver, he shot her in the stomach and then forced her into the car. He fired at her head but she ducked, and the bullet shattered the car window.
He made her drive to his mother’s house and held the woman there for several hours, during which he threatened to kill her, their child and her family if she contacted authorities.
She complained of stomach pain from the gunshot wound, and he gave her a pain pill.
Jones made her give him her debit card and PIN, and had her drive him to an ATM, where he withdrew money and gave some to the woman.
He released her and she went to the hospital, where police responded regarding the shooting.
Police saw Jones driving around South 19th Street and started chasing him after he did not pull over when the officers turned on their patrol car’s lights and sirens.
When Jones sped away he lost control of his pickup and it ran into a fence in the 1700 block of South Fife Street. He ran but was taken into custody after he jumped a fence.
Jones was convicted of a previous crime and is not allowed to have a firearm.
Alexis Krell: 253-597-8268
alexis.krell@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
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