Wife accidentally shoots pastor husband

THREE RIVERS, Mich. (WOOD) - A woman allegedly shot her husband -- the pastor of a local Baptist church -- on accident while intoxicated on Monday night.

Connie C. Tolbert of Three Rivers is facing felony charges stemming from allegations that she shot her husband in the shoulder after the couple heard a suspicious sound outside their home. Police said she was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

Connie Tolbert, 54, has been charged with two felony counts: use/discharge of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol causing serious impairment and felony use of a firearm.

She also faces misdemeanor careless discharge of a firearm causing injury or death and misdemeanor discharge of a firearm while aimed without malice but with injury.

The suspect's husband Darryl Tolbert, 52, suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder, according to St. Joseph County Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite. He was treated at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo and released.

The undersheriff said that the couple was in their home on Johnson Road in Flowerfield Township, just north of Three Rivers, when they heard a strange sound outside at about 7 p.m. on Monday.

Darryl Tolbert told Connnie to get her .380-caliber handgun (which is legally owned and registered to her) and the two went out into their back yard. The couple was standing about three feet apart when another noise caused Darryl Tolbert to move suddenly, startling his wife and causing her to discharge her weapon, Lillywhite said.

Lillywhite also said that alcohol was a main factor in the incident, which has been classified as accidental.

Darryl Tolbert is listed as the pastor of the Bethel Baptist in Three Rivers, according to the church's website. Two parishioners also confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 that Darryl Tolbert was the pastor.