Bowling Green Police Division responded to the 200 block of Lehman Avenue Wednesday, at 3:05 a.m., for the report of a man reportedly breaking down the door and entering a house.
Steven Hayes, 38, of Toledo, was arrested for aggravated burglary and carrying concealed weapons.
When police arrived at the home, Hayes was no longer there, but his vehicle was behind the residence. An officer looking through the windows, to make sure Hayes wasn’t in the vehicle, saw a Ruger and Giran handgun sitting in plain view in the rear pocket of the front passenger seat, according to the police report. The officer also saw a red dot scope mounted on a gun.
The resident of the home said Hayes, her former boyfriend, has threatened to hurt and kill her in the past. She said prior reports of domestic violence were filed against Hayes when they lived together in Toledo.
When the woman wouldn’t let Hayes inside, to see who else was in the house, he reportedly beat down the door. He reportedly pushed the woman and knocked her down onto the couch. He then searched the house for other occupants before fleeing when sirens drew near.
After about 30 minutes, officers found Hayes walking in an alley in the 400 block of South Summit Street, and arrested him. Hayes reportedly told officers he had the guns in the car because he went shooting at a gun range earlier in the day. However, a search showed Hayes was convicted for domestic violence in 2003, making him unqualified for concealed carry.
When police asked Hayes where he got the guns, Hayes reportedly said he purchased one gun from Towers Armory and one from a pawn shop.
