UNION – A Union man was sentenced to two years in jail with all but 55 days suspended for firing a gun near his neighbor’s home while children were outside playing basketball.

Joshua Bennett, 29, of Union, was arrested on May 10 by Sgt. Lance Mitchell and Deputy Jeremy Joslyn, of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and was charged 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 pleaded guilty in Knox County Unified Court July 6 to charges of aggravated criminal mischief and reckless conduct. The second count of reckless conduct was dismissed.

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.

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

Judge Susan Sparaco had set bail at $2,500 at Bennett’s arraignment hearing after his arrest. The conditions of his bail agreement included that he did not possess any firearms, alcohol, illegal drugs and could not come within 1,000 feet of his neighbors’ home where the children were playing.

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