Inset: Ashley Maxwell (Tippecanoe County Jail). Background: Columbian Park in Lafayette, Ind. (Google Maps).
An Indiana woman is behind bars after brandishing a gun at children in a park, threatening one that she would "light him up," Hoosier State police say.
Ashley Nicole Maxwell, 31, stands accused of myriad charges, including two counts each of intimidation where the defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon, and intimidation involving a threat to commit a forcible felony. The defendant is also charged with one count each of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, unlawful carrying of a handgun, unlawful carrying of a handgun by a person with a prior felony conviction in the last 15 years, and driving while suspended.
The underlying incident occurred at Columbian Park in Lafayette on Sunday evening, according to the Lafayette Police Department.
Around 5:55 p.m., the defendant police responded to reports of an armed person in the area, according to an affidavit for probable cause obtained by Indianapolis-based Fox affiliate WXIN.
Officers spoke with several children whose ages ranged from 7 to 14 years old, according to the charging document. The witnesses relayed a story about a woman in a pink bonnet and a blue shirt.
The woman had pulled a gun out of her fanny pack and brandished it at them before later threatening to blow up the park, the children said.
The gun-toting woman also threatened to shoot some of the children, according to the witnesses. In one instance, the woman threatened a child directly by saying she would "light him up," police said.
As the investigation continued, police obtained a license plate number said to belong to the vehicle the suspect left the park in, according to the affidavit. A search of records then led investigators to another person whom they termed a known confidant of Maxwell.
Less than 20 minutes after arriving at the park, police spotted the defendant driving the vehicle on 21st Street, law enforcement stated. A traffic stop was performed at the intersection of Thompson Street and Lincoln Street, roughly half a mile from the park.
There were six children in the car with Maxwell, and her driver's license was suspended, police said. The defendant was said to be wearing a blue shirt and a crossbody satchel when she was pulled over.
Officers also allege they could smell marijuana on Maxwell's breath, according to the affidavit. When police questioned her about the odor, the defendant said she had a joint in her pocket, police claim.
Maxwell was also charged with one count of possession of marijuana.
The defendant was subsequently booked into the Tippecanoe County Jail. During the jail intake process, officers found a pink bonnet in one of Maxwell's pockets, police said.
As the investigation continued, police went to the defendant's residence to inquire about firearms. A man there said there were no guns inside, denied police entry and permission to search, and said they "were not getting into his safe," according to the affidavit.
Later, officers obtained a search warrant and allegedly discovered different kinds of ammunition and various firearm accessories inside the house. Then, police discovered a black grocery bag in the backyard containing a Taurus GC2 9 mm handgun, magazines, a black plastic holster, two cellphones and a baggie containing various kinds of ammunition, police said.
Investigators determined Maxwell had recently made a phone call to one of the residents asking them to hide the gun and ammunition somewhere outside of the house, according to the affidavit.
The defendant is being detained on a $200,000 surety and $20,000 cash bond. She is next slated to appear in court on July 17.
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