A report of threats made resulted in the Dec. 17 arrest of a habitual offender on a handful of felony charges including unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, and pointing a firearm.

Jasonville Police Department Sgt. Brian Pilant received a complaint from a resident stating that she drove her brother to a residence to pick up his vehicle from his wife. He checked the vehicle, but the keys weren’t in it, so he, according to the reporting party, went to the back door of the residence and got into an argument with his wife’s ex, later identified as Austin James Hollifield, 31, Carlisle.

She told Sgt. Pilant Hollifield pulled a gun on them and they left the residence. She was able to provide Pilant with dash cam footage which showed Hollifield come around the corner of the house and pull a gun. It showed him pointing the gun at both the reporting party and her brother. 

Pilant went to a North Washington Street address in Jasonville to attempt to talk to Hollifield about the incident. Upon arrival, he announced himself over his cruiser’s PA system and asked Hollifield to exit the residence. Hollifield did not come out; however, the property owner did. Pilant asked him to send Hollifield out to which he said he would. After waiting some time, Pilant, again using the PA, asked the property owner to come out. He said Hollifield kicked out the door right before he came out. 

When asked about a gun, the property owner said Hollifield had a sawed off shotgun earlier in the day.

The owner gave Pilant permission to search the residence. Pilant and Deputy Harvey Holt of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department searched the residence. They searched for Hollifield to no avail but were able to locate the sawed-off shotgun, which had been laying on a pile of clothes in the front room of the house.

A perimeter was set up and with the assistance of a thermal drone, Hollifield was taken into custody and transported to Greene County Jail. His bond was set at $50,000 surety with 10 percent allowed. 

He appeared in Greene Circuit Court on Dec. 20 where he was formally charged with: 

• Unlawful Poss. of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, a Level 4 Felony

• Two counts of Criminal Recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, each a Level 6 Felony

• Two counts of Pointing a Firearm at Another, each a Level 6 Felony

Hollifield has previous felony convictions of Possession of Methamphetamine, Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance, and Burglary.