A confrontation over a truck’s dead battery and jumper cables escalated into a gun being drawn during a dispute at a Caney Lane residence, leading to a Grayson man’s arrest on a felony charge.
Tristan Baum, 25, of Grayson, was arrested July 20 by the Ruston Police Department.
According to an arrest affidavit, officers were dispatched to a residence on Caney Lane in reference to a disturbance. The resident told officers he arrived home and found his ex-girlfriend, identified in the affidavit as a witness, in his front yard with Baum, who were moving the witness’s belongings out of the residence.
The resident said he noticed his truck had been repositioned and connected with jumper cables to a vehicle the witness and Baum were using. He told officers he became upset, walked up to the two vehicles and ripped the jumper cables off both trucks, and said he told the pair he would beat someone up. The resident stated Baum then pulled out a pistol and held him at gunpoint.
The witness told officers she went inside the residence when the resident arrived and heard arguing outside before stepping back out and seeing Baum pointing the gun at the resident. She said she told Baum to put the gun down. The witness stated the resident’s threats were directed at property and the situation in general, not at any specific person, and that she did not feel her safety or anyone else’s was in danger from the resident.
Baum told officers he and the witness had moved the resident’s truck to jump-start their vehicle after its battery died. He said the resident arrived and first went to the passenger side of the vehicle, speaking aggressively though Baum could not make out what he was saying. Baum said the resident then walked around to the driver’s side and began approaching him, saying he wanted to beat him up. Baum stated he told the resident he had a gun and to stop advancing, but the resident kept walking toward him. Fearing for his safety, Baum said he drew the gun and pointed it at the resident, who then stopped. Baum said he put the gun back in his waistband and called police.
Baum was placed in restraints and transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center, where he was booked on one count of aggravated assault with a firearm.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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