(COLDWATER) – A Coldwater man accused of shooting a woman with an air rifle has had his case bound over to Branch County Circuit Court.

Branch County District Court officials say 49 year old Richard Stolte waived his preliminary examination. He is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder; felony firearm and a third offense of domestic violence.

Stolte was arrested following an incident that happened at his house on Copeland Road on October 10. Michigan State Police were called to the house where Stolte’s girlfriend claimed the two got into an argument, and which time Stolte pulled out an air rifle and shot her in the chest.

The woman then ran to a neighbor’s house and called her parents, who arrived and took her to ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital. She was later transported to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo where doctors discovered the air pellet pierced her heart, causing her lungs to fill up with blood.

Troopers say Stolte denied the incident even happened and said he had no contact with his girlfriend that day. Stolte gave investigators the name of an alibi witness who later told police he was not with Stolte. Troopers say the witness told them that Stolte admitted to shooting his girlfriend.

Stolte is scheduled to have a pre-trial conference on December 5. He plead not guilty and remains held on a $250,000 bond.