GLOSTER — A Gloster man is in the Amite County jail held without bond after allegedly taking a swing at Gloster Mayor Billy Johnson Tuesday morning.
Adrian Bell, 35, of Gloster, is charged with simple assault on a public official.
Johnson said Bell and a trusty from the Mississippi Department of Corrections Community Work Center in Woodville were on the first floor of Gloster Town Hall around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning when the trusty went upstairs to do some work.
When the trusty returned to the first floor, Johnson said a cash drawer left on a desk was missing about $10 in loose change. Johnson said he saw Bell outside and asked him to keep an eye out for someone counting loose change.
“He went off and went to cussing out loud,” Johnson said. “He said, ‘Why are you accusing me of stealing money?’ I said, ‘I didn’t accuse you. I just asked you a simple question.’ ”
Johnson said Bell walked away and continued cursing loudly. In response, Johnson said, he approached Bell, pointed at him, and told him to stop cursing.
“He went off and swung his hand at me,” Johnson said. “He walked off again, and said he was going to press charges on me. I said ‘For what?’ ”
Johnson said Bell was hanging out at town hall drinking coffee, which the mayor said Bell and his uncle do regularly.
