LEESBURG, Ind. -- A woman and her son were home Wednesday morning around 10 a.m. when a man broke into their rural home on SR 15 in Leesburg. They don't know why the suspect chose their home and the incident has shattered their sense of security.



Buddy Kuczewski and his family have lived in their rural, secluded home off State Road 15 for eight years.



"Shortly after ten a.m. yesterday we received a call of a potential break-in, burglary at this residence," said Sergeant Chad Hill of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.



His wife and son were home alone Wednesday morning when his wife woke up when she heard glass breaking.



"She said, 'What are you doing in my home?' He goes, 'What?' She says, 'What are you doing in my home?' He says, 'You're messing with my head, I'm going to kill you,'" said Kuczewski.



She confronted the suspect, then woke her son.



Her son grabbed a .45-caliber handgun.



"My son went outside fired one round in the air, he got in his car backed up, hit the curb, went across our grass," said Kuczewski.



Their son chased the suspect off their property.



"Tried to run over my son, spun around, started to leave, my son fired and broke out his back windshield and then left," said Kuczewski.



The Kuczewskis were left shaken by the incident. They thought they were in a place where they were safe.

 

"Don't take it for granted that this is northern Indiana and it's quiet and it's safe. You have to be aware which is a shame," said Kuczewski.

 

Hill says the suspect, 43-year-old Mack Stokes, is in jail on $6,000 bond.

Stokes is facing one count of burglary.