LEWISTON — A local man was arrested Thursday morning and charged with chasing a woman and firing shots at her with a handgun on the walking trail along the Androscoggin River.

Kody Oullette Submitted photo

Police said Kody Ouellette, 22, of Tall Pines Drive, fired rounds at the woman as she fled from him just after 10 a.m. Ouellette was later located after police arrived and spoke with witnesses at the scene. He was charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and violating conditions of release set after previous unrelated crimes.

The motive for the shooting remained unclear, although police believe Ouellette may have had a confrontation with one of the victim’s relatives.

“At this point, it does not appear that the victim and suspect were known to each other,” police wrote in a news release. “The victim is alleged to have been involved in an altercation with the suspect’s grandmother regarding an aggressive dog.”

The woman was not struck by gunfire or otherwise seriously injured. She had been walking on the trails that run along the river beneath the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Bridge.

Ouellette, who is known to police from previous unrelated incidents, was taken to the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn. As an adult, Ouellette has a misdemeanor drug possession conviction from 2019 for which he paid a $400 fine.