Court docs: Man charged after firing gun during fight at Jefferson City home

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was charged on Sunday after he was accused of firing a gun during a fight at a Jefferson City home on Saturday evening.

Derrek Maurer, 28 was charged with unlawful gun possession and second-degree assault. His address is listed as Jefferson City on Casenet, but a press release from the Jefferson City Police Department says he is from Freeburg. He is being held without bond at the Cole County Jail. An arraignment is set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Cole County Circuit Court.  

According to the probable cause statement, police were called to a residence in the 1200 block of East High Street after the caller said someone was shot. Police arrived and saw two men fighting outside of the house and placed both of them in handcuffs, the statement says. Law enforcement found out that no one was shot, but a gun had gone off. Maurer was sent to University Hospital and the alleged victim had a hand injury, but stated he would get checked out later, the statement says.

The statement says that the witness took the gun inside of the house after Maurer dropped it. The victim allegedly stated he was staying at the residence with the witness and are a couple, the statement says. Maurer – the witness’ ex-husband – knocked on the door and the victim started speaking with him. The victim stated he believed Maurer was drunk and that Maurer was asking to use the Wi-Fi in the home, the statement says.

The witness told Maurer to leave, and he started walking around the house, the statement says. The victim went outside and noticed Maurer had a hand in his jacket and told him to take it out, thinking Maurer was going to punch him, the statement says.

However, as the victim “caught the defendant’s punch near the left side of his head,” he could feel a gun in Maurer’s hand, the statement says. The victim then said he heard the gun go off while it was near his head, court documents say. The victim could feel Maurer try to fire again, but the gun jammed, according to court documents. The victim was able to get the gun away from Maurer, the statement says.

Police found a shell casing, a live round and a magazine with two live rounds, as well as Maurer’s cellphone, court documents say. The gun also had a live round that was taken out by an officer, the statement says.

Court information shows Maurer is on probation for two convictions. In one cause, he pleaded guilty on June 12, 2019, to two counts of second-degree assault and a count of unlawful use of a weapon, all felonies. He was sentenced to five years of supervised probation, with a seven-year suspended sentence.

In another Cole County case, he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a weapon on Dec. 13, 2022. He was sentenced to five years of supervised probation and a four-year suspended sentence.