Shooting in Jim Thorpe

[KMcL]

Wishing you and your dad all the best in this difficult time.

[customloaded]

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/a...,6022686.story

Home > Lehigh Valley News > Breaking News Jim Thorpe police: Woman's boyfriend shot estranged husband

A victim in an apparent robbery attempt in Jim Thorpe Monday night is loaded into an ambulance. (Larry Neff/Special to The Morning Call / March 1, 2010)



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Of The Morning Call

11:38 a.m. EST, March 2, 2010
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A woman's boyfriend shot and wounded her estranged husband in the leg during a struggle in Jim Thorpe last night while she tried to retrieve her personal belongings from the marital home, according to police.

The boyfriend, Thomas H. Smith, 52, of Lower Three Mile Lane, Lehigh Township, is in Carbon County jail today under $500,000 bail. The estranged husband, Jace J. Gill, 68, of 11 Lehigh Gorge Drive, Jim Thorpe, is recovering from a bullet wound in his left thigh, according to Jim Thorpe Police Department.

Smith was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Police said they were dispatched to Gill's home, which is in a wooded area off Route 903, around 7:25 p.m. last night to investigate a report of a suspicious vehicle. While driving to the scene, Patrolman Michaelangelo S. Bokeko was informed that a man had been shot.

When he arrived, he found 61-year-old Judith A. Gill applying pressure to the bullet wound in her estranged husband's leg while Smith stood nearby with a bloody nose.

Police said Smith told them his girlfriend, Judith A. Gill, had permission from her divorce attorney to enter the house to retrieve her personal belongings and vehicle.

A news release from police said that Smith told them that he was attempting to enter the front door of the home when "Jace \[Gill\] came out of nowhere and began to attack him."

Smith told police he shot Gill during the altercation. Gill was transported by ambulance to a medical helicopter and flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest for treatment. His injuries were not life-threatening.

Smith was treated at Gnaden Huetten Memorial Hospital in Lehighton for his bloody nose and then arraigned on the charges before District Judge Edward Lewis in Jim Thorpe, police said.

[Exbiker]

Generally the only one permitted to enter the home is the wife. Bringing that guy without discussing it with the homeowner beforehand was asking for trouble.
Why no attempted murder charge?

[Smalls]

Generally the only one permitted to enter the home is the wife. Bringing that guy without discussing it with the homeowner beforehand was asking for trouble.
Why no attempted murder charge?

Two's company, Three's a crowd.

I hope your dad makes a full recovery and you stay centered too.

[Rosco the Iroc]

WHOA- Keystone.45 I know that addr and name..
I hope he's better and we may know each other.
PM sent.

[Keystone.45]

Thanks CL for posting the updated news link. That's a pretty accurate description of what really happened. Bad situation I know. I was going to post it when I saw it around noon, but I was just feeling a little sick about the whole thing.

PMs replied. Thanks again guys for the prayers. I saw my dad this afternoon. He had surgery in the AM and is doing as well as can be expected.

[1iarrowking]

I just caught up to this now. I saw the newspaper report but didn't make the connection to you. Probably because of the Jim Thorpe location. Sorry to hear about it and I hope your dad makes a quick recovery.

[MikePrekopa]

Hope your dad's doing well and has a speedy recovery. Hearing he was shot in the thigh, I'm glad it wasn't more serious. Not that getting shot is ever not serious... I'm sure you get what I mean. Good luck with everything.

[falcn]

I too hope your father recovers with little impact on his long term health.

[Keystone.45]

Thanks. He looked a lot better when I saw him yesterday then he did on Tuesday. They put a titanium rod from his knee down to his ankle on his right leg to replace his shattered tibia. The shot through his left thigh that the paper mentioned, and another one to his lower left leg luckily didn't cause too much damage, relatively speaking anyway.

I should mention too, he's the scoutmaster for the local troop, and he did say "I hope my hiking days aren't over."