Man accused of threatening girl with a gun to get in his car later determined to have .292 BAC, deputies say

Salem, Ind. (WDRB/WAVE/Gray News) — The sister of a man accused of threatening a girl with a gun to get in his car said that the whole thing was a “huge misunderstanding.”

The incident happened on Friday in an Amish community in Salem, Indiana.

Probable cause documents said 53-year-old Jeffrey Mauck went up to a girl outside her home and asked if her family sold any eggs. The girl told police that she said no and walked away.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department said Mauck then grabbed her and threatened her with a gun, telling her to get in his car. Officials said the girl’s family heard her screaming and came to the rescue.

Court documents said that the girl’s father and his sons were able to restrain Mauck while waiting for the police to arrive.

One of the responding officers said he found a pair of black handcuffs lying on the ground underneath Mauck and could smell what he believed to be the odor of alcohol coming from Mauck.

Court documents said Mauck admitted to having been drinking. A chemical test determined that Mauck had a blood alcohol content of .292.

Mauck is facing six charges, including attempted kidnapping and driving while intoxicated.

But Mauck’s family said he’s been wrongfully charged.

“Just a huge misunderstanding of events,” Mauck’s sister Anna Hall said.

“Everything that is being stated right now is very out of character for what me and my family know,” she continued.

Mauck’s sister said the brother she knows would not do what he is accused of.

“He has a tattoo of a blue, the blue bear, because that’s what he is,” she said. “He is, you know, just not aggressive.”

But the Washington County Sheriff’s Department called the incident “extremely disturbing” in a statement. The department also said it is “thankful this young girl was able to get away and that her family acted quickly.”

“I do believe that it will be very hard to believe that that is what occurred when the truth comes out,” Hall said.

The sheriff’s department’s statement also said that anybody “who attempts to harm or abduct a child in Washington County” will be met with serious consequences, including the “full force of law enforcement.”

Hall is hoping the judge doesn’t make her brother face those serious consequences for a crime she claims he didn’t do.

Mauck was in court Monday afternoon and had his bond set at $2 million, full cash.