NEDERLAND, Texas — A 49-year-old man is being charged after a 2023 incident at a Nederland church pumpkin patch.
Jeremy Lane Pitman is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted aggravated kidnapping.
On October 15, 2023, police were dispatched to the Nederland Apostolic Church on S. 27th St. at around 1:16 p.m.
While on scene, police spoke with a man who said he saw Pitman drive right up to the canopy, exit his vehicle and walk towards his wife.
The man said he heard Pitman ask his wife to come to him, but she said no.
The complainant told police that he saw Pitman grab his wife by the back of the neck and front of her shirt and "forcefully" pulled her towards her truck, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The man said he told Pitman "hey no, no," and Pitman let go of his wife and walked around the canopy, where he displayed his gun from this waistline.
He told police that when Pitman pulled the gun from his waistline, the holster came out with it.
Then, Pitman approached him with the gun, grabbed him by the front of the shirt and put the gun up to his head, according to the affidavit.
The complainant said that when Pitman put the gun to his head, he grabbed Pitman's arm and began to spin with Pitman to the table.
He told police that when he and Pitman fell on the table, he heard three gunshots, but did not know if he was shot at the time because his eyes were closed.
He also said that when he opened his eyes, three other people at the church had pinned Pitman down on the table, according to the affidavit.
At that time, the man said he stepped back from the incident to check if he was shot.
The gun fired three times and police believe one of the bullets hit a glass saltshaker that shattered.
A woman standing nearby received minor injures after being struck by the shattered glass, Nederland Police Chief Gary Porter told 12News at the time.
Police believe Pitman "intentionally attempted" to abduct his wife, according to the affidavit. Police think that Pitman would've completed his plan to abduct his wife had people at the church not intervened.
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a 2nd Degree Felony and he could be sentenced to from 2 - 20 years in prison. The plea agreement would cap sentencing at 10 years on each case.
Pitman has no right to appeal since he entered a guilty plea.
Judge John Stevens, who will determine the sentence, ordered a pre-sentencing report to be done before he decides sentence.