Men struggle over gun, bullet goes through man’s thumb
On Nov. 4, at 1:15 a.m., the Crawford County Communications Center received a report of a man with a gunshot wound at 306 S. Rebecca St. in the village of Gays Mills.
Deputies responded to the residence and identified the victim as Thomas A. Pettit Jr., 37, Gays Mills. It was determined that Pettit sustained a gunshot wound to the thumb of his left hand. A second individual involved was Jody E. Pitz, 42, Gays Mills.
Deputies conducted interviews with both parties and determined Pitz recently moved out of Pettit’s residence and into 306 S. Rebecca St. After consuming alcoholic beverages throughout the day, Pettit entered the residence with a Warthog .45 caliber pistol in a holster attached to his right side and awakened Pitz.
Pettit and Pitz began talking in the kitchen of the residence. While in the kitchen, the pistol was removed from Pettit’s holster and a struggle ensued between Pettit and Pitz over the pistol.
During the struggle, the pistol discharged one round through the thumb of Pettit’s left hand and continued through the north wall of the kitchen. The bullet penetrated the north wall of the kitchen and came to rest inside the cavity of the wall.
Due to receiving conflicting statements, Pettit’s motive for removing the pistol from the holster has not been determined.
Pettit was transported by Ocooch Mountain Rescue to Vernon Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.
On Nov. 11 at 7:51 p.m., Pettit was placed under arrest for operating/going armed with a firearm while under the influence of an intoxicant and he was transported to the Crawford County Jail.