From staff reports
A transient man is facing charges for holding a woman at gunpoint in Oil City and forcing her to give him a ride in her vehicle.
Oil City police said in a criminal complaint that a woman arrived at her Glenview Avenue residence March 29 to find Wade Shaffer, 38, in the basement apartment at the residence.
Shaffer demanded that the woman give him a ride and she refused so he became angry, packed his bag and went into the garage, the complaint said. The woman followed Shaffer into the garage and sat in her vehicle to prevent Shaffer from taking the vehicle, according to the complaint.
At that point, Shaffer brandished a handgun the woman recognized as her gun that she kept in a cabinet in the house, the complaint said. Shaffer pointed the gun at the vehicle and pulled the trigger, but the gun didn’t have ammunition in it and dry fired, the complaint said.
Shaffer pulled the trigger again while the gun was pointed at the vehicle, and the woman then, out of fear, agreed to give Shaffer a ride, according to the complaint.
He stated, “This is all I need,” and got out of the vehicle, the complaint said.
Shaffer has been charged with felony counts of possession of firearm prohibited and theft by unlawful taking-movable property and a misdemeanor count of simple assault.
He was placed in the Venango County jail after being unable to post bail, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Central Court.
