MARION, Ohio — The trial of a woman who shot at firefighters attempting to a extinguish a fire began Tuesday.
The Marion Star reported that a jury will decide whether Sheila Markley, 43, is guilty of felonious assault against several firefighters for an incident earlier this summer.
David Lowther, Markley’s attorney, said she “vehemently denies any wrongdoing on the case.”
“I know they’ve tried to portray her as a bad person, but she absolutely didn’t try to cause anybody any harm on that day,” he said.
According to firefighters, Markley told them they were not allowed onto her property to extinguish the flames. When the firefighters attempted to put out the blaze from the sidewalk, she allegedly walked into the stream of the hose, preventing it from reaching the fire, according to the report.
After several attempts to put out the fire, firefighters and police said the woman pulled out a gun and fired toward them, according to the report.
No one was harmed in the incident. Firefighters believe Markley was burning a children’s playpen at the time.
In June, Markley was indicted on one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and a three-year firearm specification for her involvement in the incident, according to the report.. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity at a pretrial hearing.
If found guilty, a second-degree felony would result in two to eight years in prison, according to the report.