DNA evidence from SUV leads to homicide arrest

Evidence recovered from a crashed SUV led Columbus police to charge a South Linden man for the Oct. 15 shooting death of a man during a confrontation and car chase that ended on the South Side.

Mark Anthony Thomas Jr., 28, was arrested last Wednesday on murder and aggravated menacing charges in connection with the shooting death of Taquan J. Sprinkle, Columbus police said this week.

Charges were filed against Thomas on Oct. 26 after homicide detectives said they matched DNA evidence from a wrecked SUV with a sample from Thomas.

Thomas was identified as one of two men in a black SUV who were involved in a confrontation with Sprinkle, Thomas who was driving a blue car, that began in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near Route 315 Downtown around 9:30 a.m. Oct. 15, Columbus police said.

The black SUV pursued Sprinkle's car east on I-70, off the Miller Avenue exit and southbound on Miller Avenue. Around the 900 block, the black SUV pulled up alongside Sprinkle's car and a gunman fired into Sprinkle's car, striking Sprinkle and causing him to crash into some parked vehicles, police say in court records.

Sprinkle, 24, of the Hilltop, died at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center. His death was the 84th homicide of 2018 in Columbus.

Moments after Sprinkle's vehicle crashed, the black SUV attempted to turn a corner at Columbus Street and struck a utility pole. Witnesses told police they saw two men flee the vehicle.