VERONA - Nexus Services Inc. posted bond Tuesday for a Mount Solon woman accused of shooting her neighbor last month, the company's CEO said Tuesday.
Mary F. Puffenbarger, 68, is charged with malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the April 26 incident that injured 40-year-old Christopher Huffer.
Puffenbarger was denied bond a day after the shooting, but during a bond appeal Friday in Augusta County Circuit Court a judge gave her a $35,000 bond.
Nexus CEO Mike Donovan said Puffenbarger was released from Middle River Regional Jail on Tuesday afternoon.
Donovan said he found it "incredibly unfair" that Puffenbarger, who had no criminal history prior to her arrest, was initially denied bond. He also said he felt the $35,000 bond that was granted on appeal was excessive.
Donovan has long railed against suspects being held for lengthy periods while awaiting trial, and said there is no justification in keeping Puffenbarger in jail for several months waiting for the case to be adjudicated.
"We can't be reactionary every time there is an allegation of a criminal act," he said Tuesday.
Nexus has a charitable bonding program, and also provides GPS tracking to detained immigrants so they can be released while awaiting immigration court hearings. The Verona-based company has several private and nonprofit subsidiary services.
The Augusta County Sheriff's Office arrested Puffenbarger at her home in the 100 block of Dividing Ridge Road on the night of the shooting. The victim was shot in the leg with a .22-caliber rifle that was seized by investigators, according to authorities.
Puffenbarger is the shooting victim's great aunt. The two have been neighbors for four decades, according to Puffenbarger's testimony.
At the initial bond hearing in general district court, Augusta County Commonwealth's Attorney Tim Martin said the shooting victim's hunting dog got onto Puffenbarger's property, and he said the man called three law enforcement agencies before attempting to retrieve the dog.
Martin said after the man was told by a game warden that he could get the dog, he and his 17-year-old daughter were walking up Puffenbarger's driveway when she opened her front door holding a rifle, peered down a scope and fired.
After Puffenbarger allegedly shot the man, she made an emotionless call to 911, Martin noted.
As part of her pretrial conditions, Puffenbarger will be under house arrest with electronic monitoring. She will not be allowed to return to her home and will be staying with a relative.
Puffenbarger's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2.