More Shootings Reported Overnight
Task Force Investigates Separate Reports
POSTED: 11:36 PM EST January 22, 2004
UPDATED: 11:47 AM EST January 23, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The task force investigating a series of shootings in southern Franklin County responded to three reports of gunfire late Thursday and early Friday.
The first shooting took place Thursday night at around 10 p.m. at the Interstate 270 exit ramp onto Georgesville Road, NewsChannel 4 reported.
Bullets reportedly struck a sport utility vehicle at least four times while the driver was on his way to work at the Columbus Dispatch printing facility.
The victim, who drove to work and then notified authorities, reportedly said that the bullets might have come from a white Pontiac Bonneville.
The driver was not hurt.
Investigators gathered evidence late Thursday night.
The next report of gunfire occurred at 12:15 a.m. Friday along Ivy Brush Court, near Hall Road and I-270. NewsChannel 4's Kyle Anderson reported that several 911 calls were placed, indicating there were reports of gunfire.
The homeowners told NewsChannel 4 that his house was hit twice, and that investigators found 15 high-powered shell casings in the cul de sac in front of the home. The homeowner and investigators believe that the shooting is likely not related to the serial shootings.
Then at about 2 a.m., Whitehall police attempted to stop a gray Pontiac Bonneville for a temporary tag violation, but the driver did not stop until after jumping a curb near Livingston Avenue and Hamilton Road, Anderson reported.
Two men were inside the vehicle. One ran away from police. The other, Curtis Miller, of Columbus, was arrested wearing a bulletproof vest.
"There are weapons in the car, and that still remains to be seen exactly what the weapons are and what role they have to play in this," Columbus police Sgt. Gregory DeRosier said.
Investigators found an AK-47, a .380-caliber semiautomatic weapon and a .357-caliber revolver.
Whitehall police said the incident was reported to the serial shooting task force, and that the incident has not been ruled out in the investigation.
Meanwhile, the serial shooting task force on Thursday investigated another shooting, this time along Interstate 71 near Lambert Road. For more on that story, click here.
There is no word on whether these shootings are linked to the serial shootings along the city's south outerbelt.