Pocatello man charged with aggravated assault for incident involving crossbow
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POCATELLO — A Pocatello man has been charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon enhancement.
Jason Scott Keller, 45, was arrested late last month after he allegedly aimed a loaded crossbow at another man.
Police reports say the incident began at about 5 p.m. Jan. 29, following a 911 call to dispatchers.
The Pocatello Police Department responded to a home on Johnson Avenue and noticed a man, later identified as Keller, standing in the doorway of the home unarmed. Officers were then flagged down by the victim, who told police that he had retrieved a weapon from his vehicle and hid waiting for police to arrive at the scene.
The victim told officers he was in the area visiting a friend when he noticed an arrow stuck in a light pole. Being an interested user of a bow and arrow, he was in the process of examining the arrow when he noticed Keller aiming a loaded crossbow at him. The victim told officers that, being familiar with crossbows, he immediately acknowledged the weapon to be loaded, pulled back and ready to fire. The victim then fled from Keller.
A witness also told officers that she saw Keller with his crossbow aimed at the victim, adding that he appeared ready to fire.
When officers spoke with Keller, he told them that due to his work with the FBI he had diplomatic immunity and could not be charged with a crime. He added that he is assisting the FBI in a case involving human trafficking. He told officers that he had “half-way” aimed his crossbow at the victim because he thought the victim may be involved in human trafficking. He said he put his crossbow away after the victim fled.
Along with a deadly weapon enhancement, the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a persistent violator enhancement. In addition to three previous misdemeanor charges in 2021, Keller’s extensive criminal history includes eight charges in 2020.
Keller faces up to five years in prison and fines as much as $5,000 for aggravated assault. The county prosecutor’s office is requesting an additional sentence of no less than five years for the persistent violator enhancement, and another 15 years for the deadly weapon enhancement.
Keller is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 9.