The Natrona County Sheriff's Office says a man, previously convicted of a violent felony, had a BAC twice the legal limit to drive when he was caught shooting a road sign before driving away with two minors in his vehicle.

Christien Kevin Bramlett, 51, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of child endangerment and DUI in connection to the alleged incident early Friday morning.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, two sheriff's deputies were sitting at Events Drive when they heard multiple gunshots coming from the north at roughly 1:20 a.m. April 10. Deputies found a vehicle at the Amoco Road pull off and could hear multiple gunshots coming from the area it was parked.

When deputies got near the vehicle, the driver, later identified as Bramlett, began to drive off, but deputies quickly pulled Bramlett over.

Shortly after, deputies pulled the vehicle's four occupants out of the vehicle one-by-one. They were identified as two minors born in 2007 and 2008, Bramlett's adult son and Bramlett.

The affidavit alleges Bramlett was "unsteady on his feet" and had trouble following deputies' commands. It further alleges that they could smell alcohol on Bramlett and that he refused to undergo a field sobriety test.

Deputies also allegedly found an empty bottle of vodka in Bramlett's vehicle.

Bramlett's son told deputies that Bramlett was shooting the rifle to "blow off steam." The two minors in the vehicle said Bramlett was shooting across the road, into nothing.

The affidavit says the rifle was an AR-15.

Deputies ran a background check on Bramlett and learned that he was convicted of felony aggravated assault in 1999 and that he was also a registered sex offender.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation records say Bramlett was convicted of third-degree sexual assault in 1991. 

Department of Family Services agents took the two minors into protective custody and Bramlett was arrested.

According to the affidavit, Bramlett told deputies that he picked up one of the minors at their mother's house two days prior and the minor brought the AR-15, which stayed behind Bramlett's vehicle behind the backseat until the alleged incident.

Bramlett allegedly went on to tell deputies that the minors woke him up in his hotel room and asked him to take them shooting. Bramlett denied shooting the rifle and instead said the minors were shooting it at a speed limit sign and that he was "pretty sure" they hit it.

The affidavit alleges that Bramlett "smirked" as he denied shooting the rifle. Sheriff's deputies took that as a sign Bramlett was lying to them.

"(A sheriff's deputy) told Bramlett the other three people he was with stated he was the one shooting," the affidavit says. "However, he did say they were out at the shooting range on the mountain two days ago, and some guy had a fully automatic rifle. The guy allowed Bramlett to shoot it.

"Bramlett stopped answering questions after Bramlett asked (a deputy) to forget about his admission about shooting the fully automatic weapon. However, Bramlett later made a statement and admitted he 'wasn't lying now.'"

The affidavit says Bramlett took a breathalyzer test which yielded a blood alcohol concentration of .16%. The legal limit to drive in Wyoming is .08%.

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