.. where a motorist got into an altercation with a driver and all of the other guys buddies ganged up on him and beat him pretty bad. His wife handed him the gun from the car and he angrily fired a warning shot into the ground, though he was not being approached at this time.

He was fined for firing a 'warning shot' into the ground.

It was foolish because he let his anger get the better of him (understandable) but the fight was over. He should have warned them back, got in his car and left.