Elgin man accused of shooting at group of hunters pleads not guilty
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(ABC 6 News) – An Elgin man accused of chasing a group of pheasant hunters in a car with a gun has pleaded not guilty.
63-year-old Paul Reichel is facing six counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of drive-by shooting.
According to court documents, on New Year’s day, three people were hunting pheasants in the 31000 block of County Road 67, when a woman yelled at the group and began swearing at them to leave. One of the victims yelled back “Happy New Year’s” before they left.
When they were driving on 80th Ave. NE they saw another vehicle coming behind them catching up to them. They figured the person wanted to talk to them about the woman.
RELATED: Man chases and shoots at group of hunters
[Courtesy: Olmsted County Adult Detention Center]
The group pulled over and the vehicle passed and parked further in front of them, blocking the road. According to the sheriff’s office, Reichel then got out of the car and pointed a rifle at the men.
The men drove past the truck and the man fired several shots at them. Reichel followed them at a high rate of speed, shooting at them before they were eventually able to get away and called law enforcement.
Court documents state Reichel confessed to shooting in the direction of hunters on his property during an interview with law enforcement.
He is now scheduled to stand trial beginning June 27.