Teen arrested in connection with attempted robbery that turned deadly

Columbus police have arrested and charged a 16-year-old in connection with a December attempted robbery that turned deadly.

The teen suspect is the younger brother of a man accused in two other homicides who had been mistakenly released from jail.

Dreyton Johnson, 16, was arrested last week and faces delinquency charges of murder and aggravated murder in Franklin County Juvenile Court in connection with the Dec. 13 death of 21-year-old Andrew Combs. Because of his age, prosecutors could seek to have Johnson charged as an adult.

Just before midnight on Dec. 13, Combs and his girlfriend were at the Sunoco gas station, located at 2725 W. Broad St., when Combs attempted to stop an armed robbery attempt. Combs was fatally shot.

Combs’ girlfriend is pregnant with a boy, the couple’s first child. He had graduated from Fairfield Career Center and worked as a warehouse employee. He is survived by his parents and four siblings.

Columbus police had initially charged Johnson’s brother, David A. Johnson III, 20, in the case after a “distinctive cigarette lighter holder” that he had been photographed wearing before was seen in security camera footage from the gas station. The suspects in Combs’ shooting had also run in the direction of the South Harris Avenue home where David Johnson had lived, which is about a tenth of a mile from the gas station.

The charges against David Johnson in the gas station shooting were later dismissed, but he remains in the Franklin County jail without bond awaiting trial on charges related to two other homicides.

In April 2021, 26-year-old Derek Ponder was shot at the South Harris Avenue home during an altercation with David Johnson inside the home. Johnson’s mother also was wounded in the shooting.

While out on house arrest in connection with that case in November 2022, David Johnson’s 1-year-old son died after ingesting fentanyl. Following his arrest in connection with his son’s death, Johnson was mistakenly released from the jail due to a clerical error. Combs was killed while Johnson was not in custody.

In January, the Columbus City Attorney’s office received a court order to board up the South Harris Avenue home, citing undercover drug purchases that had been made at the home and the two homicides that occurred at the residence. The city attorney’s office also cited an August 2022 shooting in which a 13-year-old was wounded at the home but would not tell police any information about who shot them.

Dreyton Johnson remains in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center. A 17-year-old, William Armstead Jr., has also been charged with delinquency counts of murder in connection with Combs’ death and remains at large.

U.S. Marshals arrest man in connection with January strip club shooting

A 21-year-old man wanted in connection with a Jan. 29 homicide at a Northland area gentleman’s club was arrested Wednesday morning in Canton.

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force and U.S. Marshals announced the arrest of Travis Ingram Jr., who had been sought on a charge of aggravated murder.

Ingram is accused of shooting multiple people, including 37-year-old Charles T. Smith, at The Doll House, located at 1680 Karl Court near East Dublin-granville Road. The shooting occurred around 2:15 a.m. on Jan. 29. Three other people were injured in the shooting.

Ingram was arrested at a home in Massillon. Three firearms were found at the home and another man who was inside the home could potentially face charges for obstruction of justice, according to the U.S. Marshals.

Ingram is currently being held in Stark County and will be brought back to Columbus in the near future.

bbruner@dispatch.com