The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Man pleads in attempted drive-by shooting
A Mentor-on-the-Lake man has admitted his role in an attempted drive-by shooting in Madison Township.
Four men in a Kia were arrested in a traffic stop following an incident that occurred around 2 a.m. Feb. 20 in the 6100 block of North Ridge Road.
A witness reported that at least one man in the Kia fired at a Jeep Cherokee, which was occupied by four other males.
Justin Green, 20, who previously lived in North Perry Village, was indicted on seven counts, including attempted felonious assault.
He pleaded guilty Nov. 6 in Lake County Common Pleas Court to attempted felonious assault.
He also pleaded guilty to intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness for threatening three of the victims on two different occasions, Assistant Lake County Prosecutor Jenny Azouri said.
Green now faces up to six years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 25 by Judge Eugene A. Lucci.
Azouri said co-defendant Jason Harman, 19, of Perry Township, fired at the Jeep with a 12-gauge shotgun, while 18-year-old Perry Village resident Sean Durkee had been driving the Kia.
A fourth suspect, 18-year-old Tyler Shields of Perry Township, was indicted on four counts of felonious assault with firearm specifications.
“Luckily, there were no physical injuries,” the assistant
prosecutor said.
Green said the incident began as an attempt to “scare” the teens after two of the males argued over a girl.
“All you bright guys just wanted to give up your lives over this girl?” Lucci asked.
After the incident, Green encountered two of the victims July 25 at the Lake County Fair in Painesville Township and approached
them saying, “You guys have something coming for you,” said Azouri. One week later, Green “cut off” another victim while driving, she added.
Green, who has been free since March after posting an $85,000 cash bond, had no prior felony record. However, he has a pending aggravated menacing charge in Mentor Municipal Court stemming from
an unrelated offense that allegedly occurred after the Madison Township incident.
“It doesn’t make me feel good that while you’re out on bond on an assault case, you get another assault charge,” said the judge.
Harman is scheduled to be tried Nov. 27. Durkee’s trial date is Dec. 18. Both men are charged with multiple felonious assault
counts.
Durkee also faces two counts of tampering with evidence and one count of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
Harman also faces one count each of tampering with evidence and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
Harman and Durkee were originally charged with attempted murder.