UNION — Knox County Sheriff Deputies arrested and charged a 29-year-old Union man for firing a gun near his neighbor's home while children were outside playing basketball.

Sgt. Lance Mitchell and Deputy Jeremy Joslyn arrested Joshua Bennett, 29, of Union, May 10, and charged him with aggravated criminal mischief, reckless conduct with a firearm, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and discharging a firearm near a dwelling.

According to court documents, Bennett fired the gun about 55 feet away from where the children were playing basketball, shooting the gun above their heads. When Sgt. Mitchell and Deputy Joslyn arrived on the scene on Payson Road, they found Bennett intoxicated. He began screaming at the police and attempted to start an altercation with them. Bennett did not threaten the officers at any time with the gun.

After he was placed inside the cruiser, Bennett spat on the patrol car seat and banged his head against the dividing cage in the vehicle, police said.

Bennett also damaged a telephone at the Knox County Jail after he was denied an additional phone call, according to court documents.

Judge Susan Sparaco set bail at $2,500 at Bennett's arraignment hearing on Monday. The bail will be reviewed once Bennett is represented by an attorney. The conditions of his bail agreement include that he does not possess any firearms, alcohol, illegal drugs and cannot come within 1,000 feet of his neighbor's home where the children were playing.

Bennett's next court appearance is scheduled for July 17 for a dispositional conference.

Sarah Shepherd can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.