TOMS RIVER -- Nearly one year after shooting his stepson during a domestic dispute in his Toms River home, Hillside police detective James Holmes was sentenced to three years probation today.
Holmes, 49, was arrested Aug. 31, 2009 after firing a round into his then 17-year-old stepson’s leg following a verbal dispute, Toms River police Capt. Mitch Little said today.
Since the arrest, Holmes, a 19-year veteran of Hillside’s police force who had been serving as a detective for criminal investigations, has been suspended without pay from the department, Hillside police Chief Robert Quinlan said through a department spokesman.
The argument, Little said, was over Holmes’ stepson coming home too late and escalated after the boy’s mother called his probation officer.
Around 7 p.m. that night, the mother called police as well as Holmes. But before Toms River authorities arrived, Holmes came home, became involved in the fight and fired a round of his .40-caliber service weapon into his stepson’s leg outside the house, Little said. It’s unclear whether Holmes intentionally meant to shoot his stepson, Little said, adding that township police had previously responded to verbal fights at the house but never physical altercations.
Little was unable to provide more information on the stepson’s condition, but said that the wound was not life-threatening.
In June, Holmes pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree aggravated assault. In addition to supervised probation, he was also fined an undisclosed amount of money, according to a Superior Court criminal division manager.
Richard H. Bauch, an attorney representing Hillside on labor and personnel matters, said yesterday that the township will review the incident before deciding whether to take further action against Holmes.