Published: September 12, 2008 03:47 pm         

Man held in incident with gun

Suspects faces eight counts, including possession of cocaine

A Logansport man wound up in jail this morning on charges that he pointed a loaded gun at two people outside a bar on Erie Avenue.

Just after midnight, Logansport police officers responded to Papi’s Bar at 1645 Erie Ave., where a man was reportedly waving a firearm and pointing it at people.

Officers later tracked the man to the 1600 block of Woodlawn Avenue, where he was sitting inside a parked truck a block from the bar.

By loud speaker and at gunpoint, officers ordered the man out of the vehicle. According to an LPD incident report, the man acted and appeared intoxicated by showing poor balance, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech as he got out of the truck.

Police identified the man as 47-year-old James B. Holcomb of Logansport. Holcomb had a swollen left eye. He told police he had been attacked by two women.

In the front seat in plain view, police spotted a handgun that was “fully loaded and set to discharge,” the report stated. They also found four fully loaded magazines, two knives and a club.

Holcomb was taken into custody for public intoxication and possession of cocaine, which police reportedly found in a container attached to a key ring. His truck was impounded.

Holcomb was charged with criminal recklessness, two counts of pointing a loaded firearm, two counts of intimidation, possession of cocaine while in possession of a handgun, unlawful carrying of a handgun and public intoxication.

He remained in jail this morning on a bond of $2,000 cash/$10,000 surety.

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com