ALTON - An Alton man remains in custody after being charged with firing a shotgun at an occupied Alton residence.
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Joshua T. Miller, 49, of Alton, was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony.
On Oct. 2, 2024, Miller allegedly discharged a firearm at a residential property in the 300 block of Main Street in Alton. The victim in this case “reported that his front door was shot while he was sitting on the porch,” according to a petition to deny Miller’s pretrial release.
Officers located birdshot shotgun pellets “lodged in the screen door, along with penetration marks,” the petition states.
Using License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras, officers were able to link a Chevrolet truck seen on video leaving the scene to Miller. After executing a search warrant at his residence, officers found “multiple shotguns capable of firing birdshot.”
“Defendant admitted that the victim owed him money, but claimed he was too intoxicated that night to remember if he did the shooting,” the petition adds. “He confirmed he was the only person with access to the truck.”
The petition was later upheld by a Detention Order, stating Miller’s “inability to recall” the dangerous incident makes him a risk to the community that can only be mitigated through detainment.
“The inherent dangerousness of firing a shotgun at an occupied residence is clear evidence of Defendant's dangerousness to the community and these victims,” the order states. “Although Defendant has limited criminal history, his inability to recall the relevant time frame and the seriousness of his acts herein leave no condition or combination thereof that can mitigate the real and present threat Defendant poses. As a result, the Court orders Defendant detained.”
Miller’s criminal history reveals previous charges of driving under the influence in February of this year, as well as domestic battery in 2012. His latest case was presented by the Alton Police Department, and he currently remains in custody.
The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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