Zachery Oates Johnston

     The Sheriff's Office has arrested 36 year old ZACHERY OATES JOHNSTON of Gamaliel for several offenses after responding to a 9-1-1 call early Tuesday morning, March 7th on Baxter CR 804 in Gamaliel.

     At approximately 2:44 AM, a caller reported a home invasion had taken place on CR 804.  When speaking with deputies after they arrived, the complainant/victim reported that ZACHERY JOHNSTON, a person known to him, had kicked in the door of the residence and chased him upstairs with a knife.    The complainant/victim retreated to a bedroom.  It was alleged that JOHNSTON was swinging the knife around trying to stab the complainant/victim.   The commotion being made woke up other members of the household, including three children.  JOHNSTON then was said to have gone back down the stairs and exited the house.  When doing so, JOHNSTON shoved down a 73 year old female residing there causing minor injuries to her, which were observed by deputies. 

     ZACHERY JOHNSTON had fled from the scene in a white Jeep Rubicon before deputies arrived.  Deputies later found JOHNSTON at another location and arrested him.  ZACHERY JOHNSTON was then transported to the Baxter County Detention Center where he was booked on charges of:

Battery in the First Degree - Felony
Residential Burglary - Felony
Aggravated Assault - Felony
Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the Third Degree - Misdemeanor

     In addition, JOHNSTON was also served with an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from the District Court for a Probation Violation.

     JOHNSTON remains in custody at the Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 bond.  He will appear before the Circuit Court to answer on April 3rd.  There is no indication of a possible motive that prompted the incident.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff