George Lee Carpenter Jr.

PARKERSBURG — A Parkersburg man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly threatening his wife with a pistol and firing the weapon.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the Wood County Magistrate Court, George Lee Carpenter Jr., 41, 31 Lantana Lane, Parkersburg, went to his estranged wife’s residence in January and made threats to her with a firearm.

Law enforcement was contacted after shots were heard and according to Carpenter’s wife, he was having a “mental episode” involving Carpenter telling his wife she ruined his life while holding the pistol to his head before pointing it to his wife and another person, the complaint said.

Carpenter then moved the pistol from his head and fired a shot into the air, according to the complaint, and fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.

An empty ammunition cartridge was found at the location where Carpenter said he had been standing, the complaint said.

Carpenter was convicted for robbery in 2001 and he is being charged with a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.

Candice Black can be reached at cblack@newsandsentinel.com.