A Soldotna man faces third-degree assault charges after Alaska State Troopers say he grabbed his shotgun and went outside to confront a pair of dog-walkers Saturday morning when he could have used his cellphone to call 911.
Troopers arrived at 40-year-old Abelicio Gomez's home after they got a report around 10:15 a.m. about a disturbance between him and a man and woman walking their dogs down Sacaloff Drive, troopers said in an online dispatch Monday.
The man and woman, who troopers did not identify, reported Gomez's dogs went into the roadway and almost attacked their dogs, troopers said.
"The male unholstered a pistol he was carrying but did not fire it or point it at the dogs or A. Gomez," troopers said.
Gomez saw the man, ran back into his home, retrieved a shotgun and went out to the road in front of his driveway, troopers said. The man and woman called 911 and "retreated away from the property," troopers said.
"A. Gomez had a cellphone and could have contacted 911 instead of grabbing his shotgun and running out onto the roadway to confront the male and female," troopers said.
Gomez was charged with two counts of third-degree assault and taken to the Wildwood Pretrial Facility. He posted bail by Monday, according to court records.