GREENFIELD — The Springfield man accused of shooting a man in Turners Falls and fleeing the scene last month has been denied a reduced bail and will remain held on dangerousness grounds until around Christmas, when his $100,000 bail will go into effect.

Gil Viera, 30, was back in Franklin County Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon, where he has pleaded not guilty to single counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a Class A drug, possession of a Class B drug, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, carrying a firearm without a license, disorderly conduct, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a firearm in a felony, assault and battery with a firearm, assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, and withholding evidence from criminal proceedings.

Viera is accused of shooting a 30-year-old Athol man in the left thigh on 11th Street in Turners Falls on Aug. 29 before fleeing into nearby woods and through the Connecticut River. The victim was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Viera was arrested as a vehicle passenger near mile marker 13.2 on Interstate 91 southbound in Holyoke later that day.

Viera’s defense attorney, Jared Olanoff, argued in front of Judge Edward McDonough on Tuesday that his client has strong ties to the Springfield area and a job waiting for him in Chicopee. He asked McDonough to set bail at $25,000 and fit Viera with a GPS monitoring device while allowing him to stay with his girlfriend in Springfield. McDonough took the request under advisement and rendered his decision the following morning.

Olanoff said his client was born in Springfield, where he lived until his family moved to Florida. He moved back to Massachusetts in 2021, and Olanoff said his client was temporarily staying with a friend in Turners Falls when this incident occurred.

There was reportedly an argument between Viera and the alleged victim, who Olanoff said threw a punch at Viera. Olanoff said his client pulled out a firearm for protection and shot the other man only after the other man brandished a knife and was issued several warnings to get back. Olanoff said his client has a license to carry a firearm in Florida, though he has not transferred it to Massachusetts. He said Viera shot the other man “low, on purpose, in the thigh” to avoid causing a mortal wound.

According to Olanoff, Viera’s only criminal history is a 2009 juvenile case, which the government declined to prosecute. He also said the alleged victim in this case has a lengthy criminal history and was arraigned in Greenfield District Court on Monday on a charge of assault and battery on a family or household member.

Joseph Webber, who is prosecuting this case for the state, rebutted that Viera “pistol-whipped” the alleged victim before shooting him through the thigh “and then left him bleeding.” He also claimed Viera started the verbal altercation and there is no report of self-defense on Viera’s part. Webber said Viera showed complete disregard for the community’s safety by fleeing, and he mentioned the firearm that was used has not been recovered.

“There is a firearm, presumably a loaded firearm, somewhere out in the community,” Webber told McDonough.

Allowed to respond to Webber’s argument, Olanoff sought to set the court’s mind at ease.

“[The firearm] is not in the community,” he said, prompting McDonough to inquire how he is so sure. “I don’t believe it exists anymore.”

It was noted in a probable cause statement filed by Joshua Hoffman, a detective sergeant with the Montague Police Department, that Viera’s shorts, shirt, sneakers and the cash on his person were drenched with water, indicating he crossed the Connecticut River while fleeing.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.