Man shoots Uber driver to deal with scam phone calls
An elderly Ohio man who authorities say fatally shot an Uber driver who he thought was trying to rob him after scam phone calls deceived them both has been indicted on a murder charge.
William Brock, 81, also faces counts of kidnapping and felonious assault in the indictment handed up Monday by a Clark County grand jury.
Court documents did not list an attorney for him and a telephone number for Brock could not be located. He has pleaded not guilty and could face a life sentence if convicted on the murder charge.
The shooting occurred March 25 at Brock’s home in South Charleston. Officers from the county sheriff’s office responded there after Brock called 911 and said he had shot someone who was trying to rob him.
Brock had received scam calls from someone pretending to be an officer from the local court who eventually began making threats and demanding money, authorities said. The victim, Loletha Hall, 61, was an Uber driver who had been told to retrieve a package from Brock’s home, a request authorities say was possibly made by the same scam caller or an accomplice.
Hall had no knowledge of the calls made to Brock, authorities said.
When she arrived at the home and got out of her car, Brock pulled out a gun and demanded she tell him who had made the threatening calls. He also took Hall’s cellphone and would not let her leave.
When Hall tried to get away, Brock shot her once, authorities said, then shot her two more times as they discussed the situation. Brock somehow sustained a minor head injury during the confrontation and he called 911 shortly after he fired the third shot.
Hall was taken to a hospital but later died there from her wounds.
Brock initially was charged with murder because authorities said Hall did not pose an active threat when she was shot. His next court hearing is scheduled for Monday.
The original scam calls to Brock and Hall remain under investigation, authorities said, and it’s not clear yet if the calls were placed by the same person.