A town official in Chester, N.Y., opened fire on a food delivery driver who had come to his home to ask for directions, shooting him in the back, the authorities said.

The official, John J. Reilly, has been charged with felony assault, Orange County prosecutors said. Mr. Reilly, 48, is the highway superintendent for the town of Chester, roughly 50 miles north of New York City. He is also a federally licensed firearms dealer, the police said.

According to the police, a DoorDash driver got lost while trying to deliver food to a home on Valerie Drive on Friday night. Struggling to navigate with his phone, the driver began going to different homes on the block to ask for help.

When he reached Mr. Reilly’s home, he was told to leave the property. But when he attempted to leave in his vehicle, Mr. Reilly fired several times at him, striking him once in the back and causing “serious physical injuries,” according to the police.

The driver, whose name has not been released by the authorities, required emergency surgery. His injuries are “serious, but not at this time expected to be fatal,” according to a spokesman for the Orange County district attorney’s office.

“We’re devastated by this senseless act of violence, and we’re wishing the Dasher a full and speedy recovery,” a DoorDash spokesman said in a statement. “We’ll continue to work closely with law enforcement as they investigate this tragic incident.”