An ongoing investigation led by Det. Sgt. James O’Malley of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department into a shooting incident near Linton in late July resulted in the arrest on Sunday of the man who was shot in the leg.

He’s accused of making inappropriate comments then knocking another man down several times then threatening a woman with a knife. No charges have been filed against the shooter.

James Herbert Johnson, 54, of Sandborn, was taken into custody by Jasonville Police Officer Jake Gambill on Sunday, September 1, and booked into the Greene County Jail around 11:20 p.m.

Johnson was shot during an altercation at the home of Steven and Rita White on North State Road 59 in the Linton area early on Sunday, July 28.

Johnson was dropped off by his father at the White home in the early evening of Saturday, July 27. He allegedly wanted to visit and have a beer with Steven although Steven later told an investigator that Johnson was his cousin and though they’d been close when young, he had not seen or spoken to Johnson but a few times over the last few years.

By 1:45 a.m., a 911 call had been made to the Linton Police Department, multiple officers were responding along with an ambulance, and GCSD Det. Sgt. O’Malley was called in to lead the investigation because the incident occurred outside the city limits of Linton.

When O’Malley arrived on the scene, GCSD Deputy Davis Aerne had started a crime scene log and officers from the Linton Police Department and Jasonville Police Department were securing the area and assisting on the scene.

Johnson was identified as the victim of the shooting and was transferred to the hospital by ambulance. Steven White was identified as the shooter and was transported by then-LPD Det. Paul Clark to the Linton Police Department.

Photographs were taken and evidence marked, recorded and collected including .40 caliber shell casings, cell phones, clothing, weapons and blood.

O’Malley first interviewed a couple who had been at the home earlier in the evening then returned to help after the shooting and he interviewed Rita White.

During these interviews, O’Malley said he was told that Johnson had been drinking all night and was very intoxicated, that he had made inappropriate and hurtful comments, that he was wanting to fight, that he had thrown a whisky bottle and his cell phone, had grabbed Rita White in a threatening manner more than once, had knocked Steven White down several times and refused to leave.

According to the probable cause affidavit written by O’Malley, the stories told by the three individuals interviewed at the home confirmed the story and the details told by Steven White during his interview at the police station.

O’Malley reported that Steven White said Johnson was acting fine when he first arrived and if he had known he was going to drink whiskey, he would not have allowed him to stay. He said Johnson threatened the other man present and the couple left, not wanting any trouble.

O’Malley reported White said Johnson kept asking him if he wanted to “bump” and that he had knocked him to the ground several times and just kept wanting to fight. He said he told Johnson to leave numerous times and they attempted to call Johnson’s father to pick him up but they could not reach the father. He said Johnson started to leave several times but kept coming back.

According to O’Malley, White said after he got up off the ground the last time, he unholstered his handgun and showed it to Johnson, again telling him to leave. When Johnson came running at him, he fired a shot into the ground. Johnson then allegedly moved toward White’s wife, then ran at him again while they kept asking Johnson to leave.

O’Malley reported that White said Johnson moved to the end of the driveway, fell over a flower pot, got up and came back, reached into his boot and pulled out a knife then moved toward White’s wife. White fired a second warning shot into the ground. Johnson stopped at the shot, then turned toward White’s wife. During her interview, she told O’Malley that Johnson had hold of her shirt and that White thought Johnson was going to stab her.

O’Malley reported that White said he shot at Johnson’s legs to stop him. He was hit in the leg and yelled out, “You blew my leg out.”

White pulled a shoelace out of Johnson’s boot to make and apply a tourniquet which he held until help arrived, told his wife to call 911 as he continued to hold the tourniquet with one hand and held his cell phone in the other with the strobe light turned on to help attract the attention of the ambulance personnel.

Johnson was being transported to Regional Hospital in Terre Haute but the ambulance had to divert to Sullivan County Community Hospital because Johnson was combative. He was transferred to Regional later that morning.

O’Malley said the incoming and outgoing calls on Rita White’s cell phone verified all the communications described during the interviews.

Evidence located at the scene included a black and orange lock blade knife belonging to Johnson, two whiskey bottles, Johnson’s broken cell phone, spent shell casings and other items.

O’Malley noted that a portable breath test showed White had a BAC of .055. O’Malley did not include any information on any tests administered to Johnson.

On Monday, August 26, a criminal case was filed in Greene Circuit Court and a warrant for Johnson’s arrest was issued the same day.

In jail, Johnson’s bond was set at $11,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. Since his arrest, he posted $1,100 cash and was released.

The preliminary charges against Johnson are intimidation, where defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony, and criminal trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor.