Cheltenham man allegedly shoots shotgun at car, hitting 3-year-old

CHELTENHAM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A man has been arrested and charged with firing his shotgun at a vehicle in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

The pellet went through the vehicle's backseat, hitting a child in the leg around 6 p.m. on Monday.

Cheltenham Township police said their investigation revealed the suspect targeted the driver, allegedly for speeding.

Police have arrested 60-year-old Martin Pollock for shooting his shotgun at a Jeep driving in front of his house, on the 7900 block of Jenkintown Road.

There was a 3-year-old girl in the back seat, and one of the buckshot's hit the toddler's right inner thigh, leaving a red welt.

Pollock's aunt said she can't believe he did this.

"I've known Marty all my life, this is not him, this is not the guy that I know," she said. "I think he snapped."

Police said Pollock was hiding behind the tree on his front lawn, waiting for black 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee to drive by so he could shoot at it with a Remington model 870, 12 gauge shotgun. The sound was so loud some neighbors said they had to take cover.

"We did hear it, it was scary, we kinda just hit the deck," said Dorette Igons-Ham.

Pollock had recently gotten into a verbal altercation with the 36-year-old father over speeding, and was waiting for him to take his daily route home from daycare, so he could shoot at the car.

The father said he pulled over about a block away from where the shooting happened, at Croydon and Ashbourne Road, and then called police. Police said the buckshot that hit the toddler's thigh went through four layers to slow its momentum down - the car door, the child's book bag, which had clothes in it, a lunch box and the car seat.

Court documents reveal Pollock told police he had been drinking prior to firing his weapon, reading: "In his statement he admitted to drinking at least three vodka and orange juice cocktails and then shooting at the victim's SUV."

Pollock told police he wanted to scare the victim. In fact, police found pads of papers on Pollock's coffee table, documenting dates, times and descriptions of cars driving by his home. One of the license plates recorded matched the victim's license plate. Some neighbors said this raises safety concerns in the neighborhood.

"I'm really upset cause I have a two and a half-year-old granddaughter who lives here, so it's really scary to know that people are shooting from their houses now," said Igons-Ham.

Pollock is currently being held on a $250,000 cash bond, and is being charged with first degree attempted murder among other charges.