An O'Fallon man who allegedly shot his estranged wife's boyfriend on Christmas Eve morning is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 4.

According to the St. Charles County Circuit Court's Criminal Division, Paul J. Morrison, 44, has been charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.

As of Wednesday evening, Morrison was still being held at the St. Charles County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

Police say the shooting occurred before 5 a.m. Friday, Dec. 24.

According to the St. Charles County Circuit Court's Criminal Division, Morrison turned himself into police Friday. Lt. Craig McGuire of the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department said Morrison gave investigators a statement implicating himself in the crime.

"At 5:16 a.m. we received a call to come to St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake Saint Louis," said McGuire. "The call was in response to a gun shot victim."

McGuire said when deputies arrived on the scene, in the 400 block of Guthrie, the victim was coherent and could speak with authorities. 

The victim told deputies he and his girlfriend, along with another male friend, had been Christmas shopping in the early morning hours. As they pulled into the long driveway upon arriving at the girlfriend's home, her husband pulled a gun on the pickup truck carrying the trio.

McGuire said the victim, a 42-year-old man from the 2300 block of Fox Creek, was shot through the passenger side window. He was hit in the back of the head and side of the face as the pickup truck was pulling away.

The victim's male friend was behind the wheel and the woman was sitting between them. No one else was injured.

"Everybody knows everybody here," McGuire said. "There was no question about anyone's identity." 

Other news outlets have identified the victim as Dennis Vehlewald. 

McGuire said the victim was transferred to a hospital in the St. Louis area in serious but not life-threatening condition.