CANTON, Ga. — A Cherokee County man has been sentenced to spend the next four decades in prison after trying to shoot his wife in the head, but forgetting to load his gun.
Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace says that in March 2020, Ronald Charles Lynch, 51, put a gun against his wife’s head and the pulled the trigger, but no bullet discharged.
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When Lynch went to the other room to get ammunition, his wife grabbed their child, who was in the room, and ran out of the house and called 911.
Wallace says that Lynch then went to a nearby house and asked through a surveillance camera if his wife was inside. He can be seen in the video holding a handgun.
Canton police arrived shortly after and arrested Lynch.
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“If there had been bullets in that gun, we would have been here for a murder trial,” said Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe. “He was surprised when the gun didn’t fire, so he went for bullets, and then he went looking for the victims. His actions are inexcusable. This could easily have been a homicide.”
In June, Lynch pled guilty to aggravated assault - family violence, cruelty to children in the first degree, obstruction of an officer, battery - family violence, cruelty to children in the third degree, and three counts of simple assault.
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He was sentenced to 40 years with the first 20 to serve in prison. The last 20 will be served on probation.
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