A Burlington woman has been sentenced to probation acting pleading guilty to firing a gun into the air during an argument with her child’s father last August.
On Aug. 18, Amanda VanSant, 32, was arrested and charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon (class C felony), child endangerment-bodily injury (aggravated misdemeanor), domestic abuse assault display or use of a weapon (aggravated misdemeanor), and reckless use of a firearm (simple misdemeanor).
At around 2:25 p.m. that day, Burlington police were called to the 1200 block of Stow Street for a report of a woman who had attempted to grab her daughter and fired a gun at a man.
Prior to the officers’ arrival, VanSant also called police and advised that she had fired a gun into the air, according to a criminal complaint.
When officers arrived at the scene, VanSant was outside, and officers observed a shell casing on the patio, the area VanSant admitted she shot one round into the air, the complaint states.
VanSant was taken to the Burlington Police Department to speak with detectives.
During this time, VanSant told detectives that her “baby daddy” wanted to take their daughter out of state, that the two have two children together, and that the two had been arguing all afternoon, according to the complaint.
VanSant told detectives there was no court order regarding the children and that she knew that, if her child’s father wanted to take her daughter out of state, officers could not stop it, the complaint states.
Prior to the incident, VanSant said she was working, came home briefly, and saw her daughter’s father at the house with her daughter in the passenger seat of a car, and said she knew it was her daughter’s father’s weekend to have the children, according to the complaint.
VanSant told police she pulled up behind his vehicle, so he could not leave, but said her child’s father attempted to drive his car forward to leave but was unable to, the complaint states.
She then told police she got out of her car with a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol and that her child’s father got out of the vehicle with her daughter still in the passenger seat, according to the complaint.
VanSant said she pointed the gun in the air, fired off one round to make him leave, and that after she fired the shot, her child’s father hit her in the face, the complaint states.
VanSant then told detectives she brought the gun inside the house, that her daughter got out of the car, and that her child’s father left the residence.
Detectives were able to get consent to seize the gun from VanSant but did not observe any redness or bruising on VanSant’s face, according to the complaint.
Later that day, detectives spoke with VanSant’s child’s father at the Burlington Police Department.
He told detectives that he and VanSant had been talking about his new girlfriend before a verbal argument began, that VanSant threatened to burn his house down, and that he went to pick up his daughter earlier than his normal pick-up time, the complaint states.
During the altercation, he also stated that, after being having his vehicle blocked from leaving the residence by VanSant, another verbal argument started between the two, that he got out of his vehicle, that VanSant then went back into the car, grabbed a gun, and approached him, according to the complaint.
VanSant’s child’s father said their daughter went back inside the house, that VanSant pointed the gun in the air and fired off a round in his direction, that he thought his life was in danger, and admitted to hitting VanSant, the complaint states.
In September, VanSant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But on Feb. 22, as part of plea bargain, VanSant pleaded guilty to the child endangerment and domestic abuse assault while displaying a dangerous weapon charges.
On April 15, VanSant was sentenced to two years of probation; was ordered to pay a $1710 fine (plus surcharges); pay all court costs, attorney fees, and restitution; will continue to have a no-contact order filed against on behalf of her child’s father; was ordered to submit a DNA specimen for DNA profiling; was ordered to obtain a mental health evaluation and to comply with all recommended treatment programs; was ordered to complete a domestic abuse program and pay a $90 domestic abuse surcharge; and was given credit for time already served.
Had she been convicted of the class C felony charge, VanSant could have served up to 10 years in prison.
VanSant was represented by defense attorney Amy Christen. District Eight Judge Wyatt Peterson presided over the case.
