By Shereen Siewert

A 23-year-old Arkansas felon is facing attempted homicide charges after he allegedly threatened to kill a Wausau woman and shot at her vehicle last week on the city’s east side.

Ladamien Lavontay Murph, who lists a Helena, Ark. permanent address but has been living in Wausau for about six weeks, was charged July 31 in Marathon County Circuit Court in connection with the July 30 shooting. In addition to attempted homicide charges, Murph, who also goes by the name “Damo Murphy,” faces charges of false imprisonment, intentionally pointing a firearm at a person, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm after an out-of-state felony conviction.

According to court documents, a Wausau man called police at about 7:30 p.m. July 30 after discovering a bullet hole in his sister’s vehicle at a residence on Bopf Street. When questioned, the vehicle owner told police she knew about the bullet hole but didn’t immediately report the incident amid fear of retaliation.

The woman then told police she met Murph at a Wausau tavern the night before and gave him a ride to a Steuben Street home, along with another man not identified in court documents. On the way to the home, Murph allegedly became angry and disrespectful toward the woman, prompting her to pull over and ask the men to exit the vehicle.

But that’s when Murph allegedly pulled out a firearm equipped with an extended magazine, pointed it at the woman’s head, threatened to shoot her and ordered her to continue driving.

Police say the woman kept driving and stopped in the 600 block of Steuben Street as directed before Murph allegedly got out of the vehicle, walked to the driver’s side window and continued to threaten the woman with the gun pointed at her head. Eventually, as the woman drove away, scared and crying, Murph shot at the vehicle, according to court documents.

Police discovered a bullet hole in the door of the woman’s vehicle.

A nearby resident heard the two arguing and reported hearing the gunshot to police at about 1:4o a.m. July 30, but both Murph and the alleged victim had already left the area when an officer responded.

No one was injured.

During an initial appearance July 31, Circuit Judge Greg Huber ordered Muprh held on a $750,000 cash bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 1o.

Details surrounding Murph’s prior criminal history in Arkansas were not immediately available Tuesday.