Linn man accused of shooting gun at wife

MOUNT VERNON - A rural Mount Vernon man is accused of firing a gun in the direction of his wife Sunday evening.

RJ Warner, 51, has been charged with first-degree harassment and domestic assault with a weapon. He is accused of firing a handgun five times, authorities said; the woman was not injured.

Linn County sheriff's deputies responded around 7 p.m. Sunday to a report of a person with a gun at 1069 Springville Rd. A woman there said her husband had been yelling at her in a garage, and when she went outside, he fired at her from about 10 feet away.

According to a criminal complaint, Warner had said he wanted to kill the woman, and he repeatedly said he wanted to shoot her and any police officers that were called.

Warner was not at the residence when deputies arrived. Cedar Rapids police, acting on an attempt-to-locate notice, stopped his pickup around 3:30 p.m. Monday on Interstate 380 near the Cedar River and arrested him at gunpoint.

Investigators seized eight loaded guns from Warner's home, according to court documents.

Warner made an initial court appearance Tuesday morning, where his bond was set at $15,000. He was in custody at the Linn County Jail.