David J. Pettijohn
A convicted felon who threatened self-harm was found with a cache of weapons, ammunition and illegal body armor after an incident at a home near Oxford.
Forty-six-year-old David J. Pettijohn was arrested Aug. 21 on seven counts of possession of firearms by a certain person, criminal possession of body armor and criminal use of prohibited weapons. He also faces a habitual penalty enhancement for being convicted of four or more felonies.
Authorities were dispatched to a residence Pine Tree Road for a call of a man believed to be suicidal, inebriated and in possession of several firearms.
A deputy arrived on scene to find a retired fire truck parked across the driveway to block vehicular access to the property. Deputies contacted Pettijohn via telephone and reached an agreement for the man to come outside the residence unarmed to speak with them.
When Pettijohn came out of the home, he was allegedly wearing a piece of hard-plated body armor with five loaded rifle magazines affixed to the front.
Pettijohn cooperated with authorities and asked to retrieve his cigarettes from the residence. A deputy accompanied him back into the home, where the officer saw a short-barreled, AR15 rifle with no stock, propped up against the couch. The deputy also saw three loaded magazines containing AR-15 ammunition.
Authorities got Pettijohn to agree to seek treatment for his mental health, with the man insisting that law enforcement secure the firearms in a gun safe before he left. While authorities were in the home, they learned Pettijohn was a convicted felon. Law enforcement immediately left the home and secured the residence pending a search warrant.
When the warrant was properly obtained and executed, authorities located seven firearms, tactical body armor, a set of brass knuckles and 780 rounds of ammunition.
Pettijohn allegedly told investigator’s “if deputies had arrived on scene a few minutes later than they did, he would have come out like a soldier and may have gotten into a gun fight with (deputies).”
In addition to his charges, Pettijohn was placed on a hold for other agencies.
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