A Cookeville man entered a plea in DeKalb County Criminal Court last week to one count of reckless endangerment and aggravated assault in connection with a shooting last May at the Austin Bottom boat ramp.

James Paris Goff, 19, received a two-year sentence to serve, and is to report to jail on Aug. 4. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,575 to a victim in the case.

According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, after Goff and some friends arrived by boat at the Austin Bottom boat ramp on May 11 of last year, Goff and another man got into an altercation. Goff then left the area by boat, but returned later in a vehicle, brandishing a handgun. Goff then confronted the man he had fought with earlier, showing him the gun.

Goff reportedly turned the gun on a vehicle carrying three people who were attempting to leave the area and fired several rounds at the car. One of the bullets apparently penetrated the vehicle and struck the rear seat passenger in the back. The driver and a front seat passenger were unharmed.

"We received a call at 7:36 p.m. from central dispatch that a man had been shot at the Austin Bottom Lake Boat Access Area,” the sheriff said at the time of the incident. “The shooter and victim had already left the scene prior to law enforcement's arrival. We met officers of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department who responded for mutual aid or backup purposes. We then started an investigation into the shooting. DeKalb EMS was also summoned but they did not transport anyone because the victim was already gone. During the investigation, deputies and detectives from both the DeKalb and Putnam County Sheriff's Departments were able to find the victim at a family member's house in Cookeville. The victim was then taken to the hospital in Cookeville and later transported by ground ambulance to a medical facility in Nashville where he was treated and released. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Goff.”

The names of the victims have not been released.