Lovitt charged with two felonies after alleged incident with gun

Roger Lovitt is charged with unlawful imprisonment following an alleged incident at his home.

A Williamsburg man was charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor offense following an incident at his home Saturday afternoon that involved a gun.

Williamsburg Police Sgt. Brandon White arrested Roger Dale Lovitt Jr., 48, of 506 Moore Road, at 4:35 p.m. and charged him with first-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-degree wanton endangerment and fourth-degree assault.

According to Lovitt’s arrest citation, Williamsburg police responded to the residence after receiving a call from dispatch reporting that a man was holding a woman at gunpoint and against her will inside the residence.

After White established communication with Lovitt, he came outside and White observed the smell of an alcoholic beverage on Lovitt, the citation stated.

After talking with the victim and witnesses, White determined that Lovitt allegedly engaged in conduct that placed the victim in danger of death or serious physical injury by loading a .22 rifle in front of her and telling her he was going to end it all and then might shoot himself, White wrote on the arrest citation.

“The victim was placed in circumstances in which she could not leave,” White wrote.

Police recovered three magazines with .22 ammo and two cans of lighter fluid in Lovitt’s pocket, according to the citation.

They also recovered a .22 caliber rifle from inside the residence.

The victim, who was identified in the citation as Lovitt’s wife, Mollie Lovitt, went into an anxiety attack and Whitley County EMS was notified.

Roger Lovitt was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center. He was released at 1:25 p.m. Sunday on a $7,500 surety bond. His bond conditions call for him to have no contact with the alleged victim or complaining witness.

White was assisted at the scene by Officer Mike Taylor, Whitley County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Fox and Deputy Jonas Saunders.