Former U.S. Army Ranger with 'special ops' training arrested in Evansville

EVANSVILLE — Police arrested a former U.S. Army Ranger in Evansville late Friday after a woman said he took aim with a crossbow and fired it, launching an arrow that missed the woman's adult son by just inches.

The Evansville Police Department publicly identified the man as 43-year-old Joshua Michael Huff, who was booked into the Vanderburgh County jail at 2:26 a.m. Saturday.

Huff, who is being held without bond, faces preliminary charges of attempted murder, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records.

Steven Toney, an Evansville Police Department Detective, wrote in a sworn affidavit that Huff is a "former Army Ranger" with "special ops training." Toney did not describe why Huff left the service or when he did so.

Huff's arrest comes after officers rushed to the 2300 block of Pollack Avenue at 9:43 p.m. Friday when the woman dialed 911 to report an assault, telling dispatchers that Huff "was shooting at them with a crossbow," an affidavit of probable cause states.

"They stated they were standing in the front yard near the driveway," Steven Toney, an EPD detective, wrote in the affidavit. "Both (the woman) and (her son) stated they saw Joshua come to the window with a crossbow in his hands. Joshua then pointed the crossbow at them and pulled the trigger."

According to Toney, both the mother and her son both heard the sound of the arrow as it was fired and "ducked in fear." As the pair began to flee, Huff allegedly launched a second arrow from his crossbow. Witnesses said Huff never uttered a word during the alleged attack.

During a search of the Pollack Avenue home, officers found the crossbow hidden in a wall, the affidavit states. Nearby, detectives claimed to have recovered more than 13 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

"It should be noted that Joshua Huff is on parole from Marathon County, Wisconsin," Toney wrote in Huff's arrest affidavit. "Joshua is also a former Army Ranger with special ops training."

Public police records do not disclose how Huff obtained the crossbow. Detectives said Huff declined to speak with them or answer questions about the incident.

According to public records, Huff is scheduled to appear in Vanderburgh County Superior Court on May 1 for an initial hearing in the case.

Houston Harwood can be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpress.com.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Former U.S. Army Ranger fired crossbow at Evansville mother, son