Father, son plead not guilty to role in Lansing shooting
Published 10:42 am Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Both men arrested for allegedly shooting at a car containing several people near Lansing on Nov. 8 pleaded not guilty Monday in Mower County Court.
Daniel Robert Peterson, 62, and Joseph Daniel Peterson, 27, both pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges. Daniel is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault with intent to cause great bodily harm and three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Joseph, Daniel’s son, is charged with being a felon convicted of a violent crime in possession of a gun and three counts of second-degree assault. Both men are held on $500,000 bail.
According to the court complaint, three people drove onto the Petersons’ property at 560th Avenue in Udolpho Township to “hang out” with Joseph. However, victims say Joseph acted strangely when he saw one victim, kicked a tree, ran into a garage and then fired shots at their car.
The complaint adds Daniel exited the house and fired at the car as the victims tried to leave the property. A bullet reportedly went through the driver’s side window and struck a 30-year-old woman in the face while she was driving. A passenger grabbed the wheel and steered while the shot victim hit the accelerator.
The passenger later switched seats with the injured woman and drove her to the Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin where officials locked down the facility for about 35 minutes as Mower authorities searched for the suspects. The report states the gunshot shattered some of the woman’s teeth, and she was airlifted to St. Marys Hospital. She has since been released and is expected to recover.
Police went to the Peterson residence, where they arrested Joseph, who had a .22 caliber rifle, according to the complaint. After roughly an hour, Daniel exited the house and turned himself in.