A North Carolina man was arrested Friday after a reported fight outside a Minden restaurant led police to discover he was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to Minden Police, a man came to the department October 17 to report a physical altercation between himself and his uncle, Joshua Maxwell, 33, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina. The incident occurred earlier that evening at Fresh Mex Express Kitchen on Sibley Road.
The man told officers he and Maxwell were in town for work and staying at the Exacta Inn. He said that while Maxwell and his supervisor were drinking at the restaurant bar, he remained in the work truck because he was tired and wanted to return to the hotel.
The man said Maxwell came outside and began “messing with him,” which escalated into a fight. He told officers that Maxwell, who appeared highly intoxicated, grabbed him with both hands. The man said he defended himself by punching Maxwell twice in the face and kicking him once in the chest, causing Maxwell to fall to the ground. He then drove away and called police from a nearby gas station.
When he arrived at the police department, officers said he appeared visibly shaken and his shirt was torn. The man told officers he did not wish to pursue charges against his uncle but wanted to retrieve his belongings from their hotel room because he feared Maxwell, who he said possessed a firearm and was a convicted felon.
Officers accompanied him to the Exacta Inn, where they made contact with Maxwell, who was reportedly highly intoxicated. When asked about a firearm, Maxwell admitted there was a gun in a clothes basket near the front door of the room and told officers they could confiscate it, acknowledging that he was a convicted felon.
Police said Maxwell confirmed an altercation had occurred but gave a different account of events. After advising Maxwell of his Miranda rights, officers verified through records that he had prior felony convictions in North Carolina, including a 2020 conviction for aggravated eluding arrest.
Maxwell was taken into custody and booked into the Minden City Jail on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Police later spoke with Maxwell’s wife, who confirmed that she was aware her husband carried the gun, citing safety concerns due to his work-related travel.
All subjects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.