Man placed on probation for pulling gun on repo man
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IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls man pleaded guilty to a reduced charge after pulling a gun on a repo man trying to tow his car.
Troy A. Terry, 47, pleaded guilty on July 8 to misdemeanor unlawful exhibition of a weapon for an incident that unfolded in July 2020. Terry was ordered to spend seven days on an ankle monitor and then placed on a year of probation after reaching a plea agreement with Bonneville County prosecutors.
Initially, Terry was charged with felony aggravated assault; however, as part of the plea agreement, the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor.
The Idaho Falls Police Department arrested Terry last year at his First Street home. According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, Terry said he was behind on payments for his Kia Soul, but after working through bankruptcy court, the bank allowed him to keep the car.
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As the repo man began hooking up the car, Terry said he grabbed an unloaded gun, saying he would shoot the tires out of the tow truck.
During the incident, Terry’s wife told investigators the tow truck driver pinned her leg under the hydraulic lift. Despite having some dirt on her pants, police said she declined medical treatment and was not walking with a limp. Later that day, Terry’s wife came to the police station and was walking with a limp. She said she wanted to press charges against the tow truck driver.
The repo man told officers he began taking steps to repossess the car in February and records show the vehicle was behind 135 days on payments. The man said he had been to the house at least 17 times and made several attempts to repossess the Soul. Many times, he reported the Terry family tried to stop him or another employee.
The repo man said he saw the car sitting in an open garage, so he backed up the tow truck and began securing the Soul to the truck. He reported the family tried closing the garage door and when that failed, Terry’s wife got into the driver’s seat and tried driving the Soul away.
After trying to drive the car away, Terry’s wife laid on the ground behind the car. Video reviewed by police showed Terry’s wife then sitting under the lift and getting up before walking away with no apparent injuries. Police wrote in the probable cause it appears the tow truck driver did not intentionally try to crush Terry’s wife as she claimed and she put herself in danger by positioning herself between the car and the lift.
The repo man said Terry pointed the gun at him and threatened to kill him during the encounter.
Police located the gun as well as several loaded cartridges of ammunition and arrested him.
In addition to the time in jail and probation, Magistrate Judge Stephen Clark ordered Terry to pay $1,157.50 in fees and fines, according to court records.