Man accused of firing gun in moving car — with 3 kids inside — pleads not guilty

A Pierce County man wanted for allegedly firing a gun in a moving car with his three young children in the backseat was arraigned Thursday.

Mathew Weaver, 37, is charged with second-degree assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of violating a domestic violence court order and resisting arrest.

A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf, and Superior Court Judge Katherine Stolz set bail at $500,000.

Weaver was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Pierce County Jail. Sheriff’s deputies had been looking for him since Aug. 31, when he checked out of a hospital without notifying detectives as he was supposed to. He was treated for a dog bite after a K-9 unit helped with his initial arrest in a wooded area of the county.

A revolver and unopened cans of beer were found nearby.

The mother of Weaver’s children called 911 on Aug. 18 to report he assaulted her as she drove the family on a camping trip.

She has a protection order against him, but she agreed to go camping with their children.

According to charging papers, Weaver became upset as the woman drove and smashed a coffee mug on her face before firing a gun several times out the window and into the car roof near the woman’s head.

Their children, ages 2, 4 and 9, were in the car at the time. The woman drove to a family member’s house and Weaver fled.

This story was originally published September 22, 2016 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Man accused of firing gun in moving car — with 3 kids inside — pleads not guilty."