Charges have been filed against a Paton man following an alleged shooting incident.

According to court documents, a verbal altercation took place inside Jefferson Fareway Saturday, May 29th. Twenty-three-year-old Reed Hillenga of Berwick, 29-year-old Manuel Ochoa of Perry and 22-year-old Mathew Guzman of Perry were attending a birthday party in Jefferson for one of Mathew’s friends. Hillenga told investigators that a verbal altercation took place between him and Mathew’s father, 44-year-old Rene Guzman of Paton. 

The argument carried over to the parking lot of Fareway, where both vehicles left at separate times. Court documents show that Mathew’s 2004 Volvo S60 turned east onto Highway 30 from Highway 4 and Rene rammed the back end of the Volvo with his 2013 Buick Enclave. According to the report, Mathew was fearing for his life and in self defense shot at his father’s Enclave and allegedly struck the front end three times with a 9-millimeter handgun. 

Mathew admitted to shooting at his father’s vehicle and the handgun was found under the driver’s seat. Mathew’s vehicle had heavy rear end damage, while the front end was heavily damaged on the Enclave. 

The Greene County Sheriff’s Office has filed charges against Rene for two Class D Felonies for willful injury causing bodily injury, three aggravated misdemeanors for assault with a deadly weapon and two simple misdemeanors for reckless driving and criminal mischief. Mathew was cited for speeding and driving while license was denied, suspended, cancelled or revoked. 

Arrest warrants have been applied for by the sheriff’s office and once Rene has been apprehended, he will be booked into the Greene County Jail. Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.