A Hinesville man who accidentally shot himself now faces charges for illegally possessing a handgun.
According to an incident report filed by Hinesville Police Officer Scott Hensler, he and officers Travis Probst and Scott Mercer responded to a report last week of a man, suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg, lying in the street near Waterfield Drive and Lyndsi Lane.
When the officers arrived shortly after midnight, they found Stan Claridy, 21, next to his vehicle, having accidentally shot himself.
Claridy had called his parents before the officers arrived, and the couple was at the scene.
When Hensler asked Claridy what happened, he told Hensler he stepped out of his vehicle to check his headlights and was shot.
However, Hensler questioned a female passenger in Claridy’s vehicle whose story differed from Claridy’s. She told the officer that she and Claridy had dropped off a friend on Rice Court and were heading out of the subdivision. While at a stop sign, Claridy allegedly pulled a gun out from the center console. The woman said she heard a bang. Claridy then got out of the vehicle and told the woman to put the gun in the back. She said she wrapped it in a red cloth and put it behind the seat.
Hensler asked Claridy about the gun’s whereabouts and, according to the report, Claridy said he knew nothing about a gun.
Probst and Mercer searched the vehicle and found the gun and several shell casing.
The vehicle was released to Claridy’s father. A check of the weapon’s serial number indicated it had not been reported stolen.  The gun had been obtained from a family member, according to HPD Detective Jeff Lui. However, a Georgia Crime Information Center check on Claridy revealed he is a felony first offender on probation.  
He was taken to Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville and later moved to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah for treatment. Claridy was charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a first offender probationer.