Columbus man found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in Norton I-76 road rage shooting

After roughly six hours of deliberations, jurors found a 31-year-old Columbus man guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the road rage shooting that killed George Jensen, 40, last May along Interstate 76 in Norton.

Dacarrei Kinard, who had argued he acted in self-defense, was found not guilty of two counts of murder.

Summit County Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Michael had instructed jurors to consider the voluntary manslaughter charges as "inferior offenses" to murder, explained Elliot Kolkovich, county prosecutor.

'The driver was slumped': Witness recalls shooting in deadly I-76 road rage incident

The jury also found Kinard guilty of felonious assault, discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises and multiple firearm and drive-by specifications, which could carry additional prison time.

"We are a little disappointed, but we are glad he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter," said George Jensen Sr., whose son died in the incident. "This was a tragedy, and we wish it never came to this."

Defense attorneys Rhonda Kotnik and Nathan Ray declined to comment until after sentencing, which will be at 1 p.m. on April 12.

Kinard testified Tuesday he was reacting to an aggressive driver when he fired eight bullets into Jensen's car last May on I-76.

Kinard said Jensen cut him off, brake-checked him multiple times and attempted to force him off the highway; witnesses on Friday testified that they had seen some of these maneuvers. Kinard testified that he fired after Jensen pointed a black object at him, fearing that Jensen was going to shoot him.

Kinard sped away afterward, exited the highway, and re-entered to drive the opposite direction, which took him past the scene. During his testimony, Kinard admitted that he initially lied in an interview with investigators, telling them he was not in Norton on May 17 and did not own a firearm.

Remembering George 'Geo' Jensen

Defendant testifies: Defendant in I-76 killing testifies he opened fire after Akron driver pursued him

Jensen Sr. said his son, who also went by the nickname "Geo," was a kind man who was against guns and loved animals, especially birds.

"He might have been a little aggressive on the highway," Jensen said of his son. "Geo was a gentle soul."

With the trial behind him, Jensen hopes people can learn to drive with caution and be calmer behind the wheel.

In the months since her husband's death, Allison Kee-Jensen said she has gone through "unimaginable pain," describing Jensen as her best friend whom she loved for over a decade.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Columbus man found guilty in Norton I-76 road rage shooting