KENNEWICK — A Pasco mobile dog groomer is accused of pointing a gun at a client during a dispute over a payment.
Adam L. Lyon, 28, pleaded innocent in Franklin County Superior Court on Tuesday to charges of second-degree assault and illegally displaying a weapon.
He is out on bail pending the trial, currently set for Nov. 20.
Lyon and his 46-year-old customer, John Hieb, told Franklin County sheriff’s investigators markedly different stories about the confrontation at a Decker Road home in a rural area east of Pasco on Aug. 16.
Hieb claimed Lyon was upset because he wasn’t getting paid fast enough for grooming Hieb’s dog.
After he paid Lyon, Hieb said the groomer was standing near the driver’s side of the van and allegedly drew a black pistol and pointed it at Hieb three times, said court documents. He said he ducked for cover and moved toward his house.
The third time Lyon allegedly pointed the gun, Hieb was near his 7-year-old niece, court documents said. When Lyon saw the girl, he allegedly put the gun away and left.
Lyon told the investigator that Hieb was the one who began getting aggressive. He said the man was “getting in his face” and “using a lot of profanity,” according to court documents.
While there wasn’t any physical altercation, Lyon said the other man began banging on front of his van.
Lyon believed Hieb was going to charge the van doors and open them, so he pulled out his 9mm pistol and racked the slide.
“Adam said John was screaming saying, ‘Shoot me in front of my 7 year old,’” according to court documents.
Lyon said Hieb didn’t have any weapons or make any specific threats.
The investigator believed that Lyon pointed the gun at Hieb without justification for the “extreme escalation.”
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