Man charged after firing rifle near Carroll County workers

A Carroll County man is facing multiple charges after deputies say he fired an AR-style rifle toward workers on private property.

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Carroll County deputies responded to a shots-fired call on Hutcheson Ferry Road around 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 23.

Investigators determined that a man had stopped his vehicle near the entrance to the property, gotten out with a rifle and fired multiple rounds into a dirt embankment in the direction of workers, according to the sheriff’s office.

Although the bullets were fired into the embankment, deputies said the situation posed a serious safety risk because bullets can ricochet or travel beyond their intended target.

Investigators recovered multiple rifle-caliber shell casings at the scene. Surveillance footage also captured the man and his vehicle on at least two occasions, in August and October, suggesting the incident may not have been isolated, according to the sheriff’s office.

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With help from neighboring law enforcement agencies and tips from the public, investigators identified the man as Richard Noah Lawson, 42, of Whitesburg.

Lawson voluntarily met with investigators, admitted to firing the rounds and surrendered the rifle used in the incident, authorities said.

On Oct. 28, Lawson was charged with one count of reckless conduct and four counts of discharging a firearm on or near a public highway or street.

He turned himself in to the Carroll County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

No injuries were reported.

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