Stephen Wayne Nothwehr

     A Mountain Home man was arrested Saturday evening on several charges following the investigation into two separate but connected 9-1-1 calls.

     The two 9-1-1 calls were received almost simultaneously at approximately 7:16 PM.  The first call was requesting a welfare check on a juvenile involving the juvenile’s father and a firearm.  The second call was from a complainant on State Highway 5 North reporting a passenger shooting a firearm out the window of a moving vehicle, said to be a green Chevrolet Blazer.

     Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of the Ideal RV Center on State Highway 5 North to search for the vehicle and speak with the caller.  Prior to deputies arriving, the caller had located and collected two cartridge casings from the roadway.  They were .32 caliber cartridge casings and were turned over to deputies. 

     In the meantime, Mountain Home Police department officers had gone to a residence on Spring Lake Ln. in Mountain Home to speak with the other caller concerning the welfare check.  From this caller, officers learned that two juvenile children had been with their father, identified as 39 year old STEPHEN WAYNE NOTHWEHR, when they arrived back at their home.  A 12 year old juvenile was dropped off, but STEPHEN NOTHWEHR and his 16 year old son had left that residence saying they were heading to an address on Ramona Street in Mountain Home where NOTHWEHR has been staying.  While officers were still at the residence on Spring Lake Ln, the 16 year old returned home and told officers what had happened.

     The 16 year old informed officers that NOTHWEHR had called him earlier and asked him to pick him up. NOTHWEHR was said to have been drinking and has an interlock device that would not allow his vehicle to start.  The 16 year old, along with the 12 year old, picked up NOTHWEHR and drove to different places in and around Mountain Home. NOTHWEHR had the 16 year old stop at a liquor store so NOTHWEHR could purchase more alcohol.  Afterwards, an argument ensued in the vehicle, and NOTHWEHR allegedly pointed a pistol at the 16 year old and held it there for some time while the vehicle was being driven down the roadway.  They next went to a residence on Baxter CR 13, where NOTHWEHR was said to have fired one round from the pistol into the air when they arrived there.  After leaving the CR 13 residence, NOTHWEHR again fired a round out the window and the gun jammed. NOTHWEHR cleared the jam, then was said to have fired several rounds out the window on State Highway 5 North in the area of the IDEAL RV Center, just as the 9-1-1 caller had stated.

     Officers then went to 1021 Ramona Street and located NOTHWEHR there.  He was arrested and taken into custody there.  The firearm was also found in the house and taken into evidence. STEPHEN WAYNE NOTHWEHR was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center and incarcerated on charges of:

Aggravated Assault on Family or Household Member – Felony
Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the First Degree – Felony
Carrying A Weapon – Misdemeanor

     NOTHWEHR was released from custody today after posting $25,000 surety bond.  He is scheduled to appear in the Baxter County Circuit Court to answer on October 6th.  He was also issued a No Contact Order prohibiting him from having contact with the two juveniles.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff