Carr sentenced to probation for downtown shooting - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

LA CROSSE, WI (WXOW)--Brian Carr, 29, accepted a plea deal for a misdemeanor charge of negligent handling of a firearm.

A judge sentenced Carr to one year probation and 100 hours of community service.

Police said in May, a man came to Carr's apartment, on Fourth Street in La Crosse, while he was sleeping.

Carr told them, he didn't want the man there, so he fired one warning shot to scare him off.  The man was not injured in the shooting.

He led police on a high speed chase to Bliss Road.

Carr told the court it was a dumb decision he made.

"It was five months ago," Carr said.  "Though that's not very long I haven't offended since, though I've been given ample opportunity to. It's not something that I want to pursue. I want to be a productive part of society."

The judge said he is giving Carr the benefit of the doubt; that there is a disconnect between what happened on May 1 and his character.

"I read these letters," Judge Dale T. Pasell, La Crosse County Circuit Court, Branch 5 said.  "I hear about you from the state and from your attorney and its very difficult for me to understand how this occurred. But it better be an anomaly."