Four suspects arraigned in Oct. 23 drive-by shooting in New Philadelphia
NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ Pleas were entered and bail was set during hearings Tuesday in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court for four suspects in an Oct. 23 drive-by shooting in New Philadelphia.
All four entered not guilty pleas during video arraignments in the court of Judge Michael Ernest.
The shooting occurred in the 700 block of East High Avenue in the early morning hours of Oct. 23. Three people were sitting on the porch of a residence in that block when the occupants of a dark-colored vehicle opened fire on them. The three people got into the house without being injured. There was another resident asleep in the house at the time of the shooting. That person also was not injured.
More on shooting: Seven local men indicted on attempted murder charges after October drive-by shooting
Indicted were Gavin T. Kurtz, 19, of New Philadelphia; Riley P. Adams, 19, of New Philadelphia; Xavier L. Schott, 21, of New Philadelphia; John R. Hoopingarner, 20, of New Philadelphia; Robert D. Meek II, 19, of New Philadelphia; William Baldez, 20, of Dover; and Matthew M. Miller, 21, of Uhrichsville.
Bond set at $100K for man accused of firing shots
Bond was set at $100,000 for Kurtz, who Prosecutor Ryan Styer said was the shooter in the incident. He is charged with one count of attempted murder, a first-degree felony, with a five-year drive-by shooting gun specification and a three-year gun specification; felonious assault, a second-degree felony, with a five-year drive-by shooting gun specification and a three-year gun specification; and improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony.
He is being held in the Tuscarawas County Jail.
"This was a plan that was essentially finalized at he and Mr. Adams' apartment," Styer told the judge before bail was set. "It was Mr. Adams' AR-15 that he (Kurtz) had, that he loaded, that he took with him and sat in the rear middle seat of Mr. Adams' car as they drove by (the victim's) residence, and he pulled the trigger and fired two shots at the porch. He's very fortunate he's not looking at an aggravated murder charge in this case."
Bond was also set at $100,000 for Riley Adams, who is also being held in the county jail. Styer said he was the driver in the shooting. Adams faces the same charges as Kurtz.
Styer noted that when the shooting occurred, Adams was under indictment for felonious assault with a gun specification and under bond.
Bond hearing scheduled for suspect who contacted victim
A hearing has been set for 3 p.m. Dec. 20 to determine bond for Schott. He is charged with one count of attempted murder, a first-degree felony, with a five-year drive-by shooting gun specification and a three-year gun specification; and felonious assault, a second-degree felony, with a five-year drive-by shooting gun specification and a three-year gun specification.
When he was first arraigned in New Philadelphia Municipal Court, his bond was set at $5,000, with the condition that he have no contact with the victims. According to Styer, he subsequently sent an electronic message to one of the victims. He has since been charged in Tuscarawas County Court/Southern District with intimidating a witness, a third-degree felony. He is being held in the county jail without bond in that case.
The fourth suspect, Miller, faces the same two charges as Schott.
Styer described Miller as the least culpable suspect in the case. Miller was given pre-trial release with GPS monitoring. He is required to have no contact with the victims or his co-defendants.
The other three suspects — John R. Hoopingarner, Robert D. Meek II and William Baldez — have yet to be arraigned.
Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Four suspects enter not guilty pleas in Oct. 23 drive-by shooting
