River Falls-area man charged in shooting case

A rural River Falls man returns to court in March on allegations he shot live rounds from a handgun after ramming a car being driven by his son.

Pierce County prosecutors charged Kim G. Halverson, 60, with second-degree recklessly endangering safety, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Halverson made his initial court appearance Jan. 23, where Pierce County Court Commissioner Jorv Gavic released him on a $30,000 signature bond. Terms of his bond prohibit Halverson from possessing firearms and from consuming alcohol.

According to a criminal complaint:

Pierce County sheriff's deputies responded at 8:08 p.m. Jan. 22 to the area of Highway 65 and 770th Avenue in the town of River Falls for a shooting complaint. A man, later identified as Halverson's 26-year-old son, told officers that Halverson was shooting at him on the road.

The son drove to River Falls, where he met with police.

Officers went to Halverson's 870th Street home, where the property was approached tactically. Deputies eventually found Halverson standing on his deck. Asked by officers if he wanted to talk about the evening's events, he declined, saying he wanted a lawyer present.

Halverson eventually came out the front door of the house, where he was arrested. While being booked at Pierce County Jail, Halverson asked a deputy about getting a temporary restraining order to keep his son off his property.

A judge later approved a search warrant for the house, where investigators found a loaded 9mm handgun in the garage attic. Shells found in the gun matched shell casings found by officers on 900th Street. A pair of slippers found inside the house matched prints found at the scene.

Police interviewed the son, who said he had been in an argument with his father the previous night about belongings his father had accused him of stealing. He said he returned to his father's house with a friend on Jan. 22 to find the locks had been changed.

He drove away, but noticed headlights behind him on the road. The trailing car was flashing its high beams. He suspected it was his father seeking to speak with him, so he stopped the car.

The trailing vehicle, described by the son as being driven by Halverson, then rammed his vehicle.

Investigators reported finding a car with minor front-end damage matching the description parked in Halverson's garage.

The son said Halverson then passed him and turned his car broadside in traffic to block him from going forward. He said he saw the car's dome light illuminate the sight of his father holding a handgun.

Halverson got out of the car, at which point the son backed up and drove off. The son said he heard gunshots as he was pulling away, though he couldn't say whether they were fired in his direction or into the air.

Halverson's next court hearing is a preliminary hearing set for March 3.