The Bradley County Grand Jury declined this week to indict Cleveland City Councilman George Poe in connection with a May incident where he fired a handgun at a car containing burglary suspects.

Charges of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment were referred to the grand jury last year. Mr. Poe, 65, said he shot at Randall Brogdon's vehicle after the driver tried to run him over after stealing his son's lawnmower on May 22, 2009.

Later Mr. Poe spotted Mr. Brogdon and his wife in another area of Cleveland and alerted police.

Tenth Judicial District Attorney Steve Bebb recused himself from prosecuting the case, handing it over to Russell Johnson in the 9th District in Kingston.

"This effectively ends the case, as far as I am concerned," Mr. Johnson said Tuesday.

"Technically, you could bring the case back but our office won't do that," he said. "I have already sent the closure letter to the TBI."

Mr. Poe could not be immediately reached for comment.