Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
A Mattoon woman initially charged with attempted homicide after a shooting incident in the village in March pleaded guilty Monday to a lesser count of reckless injury under a plea agreement.
Rebecca L. Malueg, 32, was accused of firing a .243 caliber hunting rifle at a 24-year-old man at their home on Marble Avenue during a domestic dispute in what the criminal complaint alleged was an intentional attempt to kill him.
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department Special Response Team was called to the incident around 12:45 a.m. March 20 and found the man with what were described as significant injuries as a result of a gun shot.
He was treated by emergency responders from Mattoon Ambulance and taken to a Wausau hospital.
According to the criminal complaint, the incident followed a night of drinking by the couple before returning home where an argument escalated.
Malueg went into a bedroom where two hunting rifles and a shotgun were kept.
The man told authorities that when he entered the bedroom he saw Malueg standing on the bed with one of the rifles pointed at him.
He backed out of the room and Malueg fired a shot through the door, striking him in the arm, according to his statement in the criminal complaint.
Malueg told authorities she didn’t know the gun was loaded.
Authorities found two rifles on the bedroom mattress, along with a box of ammunition, according to the complaint.
Malueg is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. It was reduced at Monday’s plea hearing from $100,000.
Sentencing was set for Aug. 4.
First-degree reckless injury carries a maximum possible penalty of 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Malueg could have faced a maximum 60 years in prison if found guilty of attempted homicide.