In the early morning hours of Saturday, just after midnight, an incident unfolded on the Noatak River.

According to reports, a Noatak man, traveling on the river with another boat, got into an argument with the occupants with the other boat. The details of the argument were undisclosed.

When a third boat arrived on the scene and off-loaded the passengers from the boat of the man, who was later identified as 28-year-old Jason Booth, he got angrier.

As the other boat, with six adults and four children was departing the area, Booth opened fire with a 30-06 rifle. After discharging his weapon at the departing boat, Booth took up the chase. Booth pursued the other boat along the river, and was gaining on them when he became grounded on a sandbar on the river.

No one was injured by the rifle fire, and the boat with all its occupants was able to make it safely to Kotzebue.

The occupants of the departing boat requested assistance from anyone that could help. Troopers in Kotzebue received several calls for assistance as the scenario was being played out.

Before troopers from Kotzebue could respond to the scene, Booth became stuck on the sandbar.

When the Noatak man removed himself from the sandbar, he continued to Noatak. When Booth arrived at Noatak, police there placed him under arrest. He was later transported to Kotzebue and remanded to the regional jail there with no bail pending arraignment.

Booth was charged with seven counts of Assault III, Misconduct Involving a Weapon I, two counts of Reckless Endangerment, and DUI Watercraft.