Camdenton Cab Driver Faces Felonies After Shooting Pedestrian

CAMDENTON, Mo. (The Lake Tribune) — Aaron M. Etheridge, a 39-year-old resident of Camdenton, Missouri, has been charged with multiple felonies following a shooting on Monday evening that left another man with severe injuries, including a punctured lung. The charges against Etheridge include first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

The incident unfolded around 7 p.m. on Lakeview Drive in Camdenton. Upon their arrival, police discovered a male victim with a gunshot wound to the chest, who told officers, “Help me, I’m dying.” A medical examination later revealed that the victim’s lung had been punctured, necessitating the insertion of a chest tube, in addition to a gunshot wound to his wrist.

The victim was reported to be in stable condition at Lake Regional Hospital, according to a news release from the Camdenton Police Department issued on Tuesday.

According to witness accounts, the altercation began when the victim, walking along Highway 54, retaliated against Etheridge’s van—identified by a “taxi” sign—for buzzing close by him, striking the vehicle with a fishing pole and breaking a window. Etheridge then allegedly responded by shooting the victim and fleeing the scene.

Investigators secured surveillance footage from a nearby business that captured the shooting event. The subsequent investigation led them to TNA Driving Services, Etheridge’s employer, where the suspect vehicle was traced. Police located Etheridge at his deceased mother’s house, along with the van, which exhibited a broken window consistent with the witness statements. However, the firearm involved in the shooting was not recovered.

Etheridge was taken into custody approximately four hours after the incident and was being held at the Camden County Jail as of Tuesday. At the time of the report, a bond had not been set, according to court records.

The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be provided as they become available.

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