Three more men involved in October drive-by shooting enter guilty pleas

Jon Baker, The Times-Reporter
·2 min read

NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ Three men accused of participating in an October drive-by shooting have entered guilty pleas to the charges they were facing.

John R. Hoopingarner, 20, of New Philadelphia; Robert D. Meek II, 19, of New Philadelphia; and William Baldez, 20, of Dover, entered their pleas in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court recently. They were among seven suspects in the case.

Schott sentenced: Man described as instigator of October drive-by shooting in New Philadelphia sentenced

Hoopingarner, Meek and Baldez had been indicted on 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.

Hoopingarner and Meek pleaded guilty to the three charges with the five-year drive-by shooting gun specifications and the three-year gun specifications dismissed. In the case of Baldez, the specifications were dismissed, as well as the attempted murder charge.

All three will be sentenced later this month.

October shooting

The shooting occurred in the 700 block of East High Avenue in the early morning hours of Oct. 23, 2023. 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.

Three other suspects ‒ Riley P. Adams, 19, of New Philadelphia; Gavin T. Kurtz, 20, of New Philadelphia, and Xavier L. Schott, 21, of New Philadelphia ‒ have already pleaded guilty to their charges and been sentenced to prison.

The seventh suspect ‒ Matthew M. Miller, 21, of Uhrichsville ‒ is awaiting trial.

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Three more suspects in New Philadelphia drive-by shooting plead guilty