A Monroe County man facing charges after shooting a woman in the back was showing her how to fire the gun when it went off, wounding her, she told township police.

Louis Joseph Bianco, 34, of Saylorsburg, is charged with shooting a woman the evening of Aug. 10, 2016, in Bethlehem Township. (Courtesy photo)

Louis Joseph Bianco, 34, of the 200 block Blackthorn Drive in Saylorsburg, was holding a loaded .45-caliber handgun just after 6 p.m. Wednesday inside 1974 Merlot Drive when it discharged and hit 28-year-old Jessica Waterloo, police said.

Waterloo told investigators the shooting was accidental, according to court records.

She said she and Bianco had been to a wine-tasting event all day at Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery in Saylorsburg. A preliminary breath test at 8 p.m. Wednesday showed Bianco had a blood-alcohol level of 0.016, according to police.

Waterloo was shot in the lower back and the bullet exited above her navel, police said. She was rushed to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill and underwent surgery.

Waterloo told police Bianco forgot the gun was loaded and was showing her how to shoot when it went off. The gun was found by officers on the bed and Waterloo was on the bedroom floor, according to police.

Bianco is charged with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. He was arraigned before District Judge Patricia Broscius, who set bail at $50,000.

In lieu of bail, Bianco was taken to Northampton County Prison.

The judge ordered he enroll in Pretrial Services, remain drug- and alcohol-free, not possess a firearm and stay away from the victim. The judge allowed 10 percent of $50,000 bail if Pretrial Services approved it.

Editor's note: This post was corrected to reflect that the suspect's blood-alcohol level was 0.016 in a preliminary breath test, below the 0.08 level at which drivers are considered intoxicated.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.