An Augusta woman remains in jail for shooting a man last weekend in a domestic argument over her phone, authorities said.
Stephanie New, 46, is charged with aggravated assault and weapon possession in the shooting of 48-year-old Hallart Wilson III. The pair live together inside an apartment at Gardens at Harvest Point, according to a sheriff’s report. The victim’s specific injury or condition was not clear.
The victim was alert enough to tell responding officers on Feb. 16 that he was in a fight over New’s phone. He said New got a handgun and he hid behind a bathroom toilet, where she found and shot him, a report says.
Officers located a Taurus G2C gun sitting on the kitchen island and a 9 mm shell casing on the floor in the master bedroom hallway. New confessed to shooting Wilson. But she defended her actions.
“New stated that she was lying in bed when Wilson wanted to use her phone to look at their friend’s Gmail account,” a report says. “New did not let Wilson go through the Gmail account. New then stated that Wilson choked her; New stated that she could not breathe. Wilson asked where the gun was. New had the firearm, and they fought over it.
The report continues, “Wilson went into the bathroom and turned on the water and attempted to destroy News’s phone. New stated that Wilson attempted to come at her then she shot him.”
Wilson was taken to Doctors Hospital while New was taken to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center, where she remained Sunday night without bond.
