A Concord Township man was sentenced to 9 months in jail for a third-degree felony weapons charge involving an incident in which he allegedly fired shots at another motorist after following him in a possible road rage situation.
According to a post on the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, on Nov. 4 at 11:51 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the area of Cherry Tree Lane in Painesville Township for a report of numerous gunshots being fired. Deputies arrived and spoke to the alleged victim, a 33-year-old Painesville Township resident, who reported that he was driving along Johnnycake Ridge Road in Concord Township and believed he was being followed.
The victim made several last-minute lane changes and drove into Brentwood Drive in Painesville. The suspect vehicle was still following and pulled into a parking space next to the victim. The victim then headed out of Brentwood Drive and traveled South on Chestnut Street into Concord Township when he heard two gunshots coming from the suspect vehicle which was still behind him.
The victim fled to Cherry Tree Lane where he exited his vehicle with his own firearm and pointed it at the suspect vehicle as it pulled up behind him. The victim claimed the suspect was holding a firearm up, so the victim fired two shots in the direction of the suspect vehicle in self-defense, according to the post.
The suspect vehicle drove off. Nobody was injured during this incident.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau was called in to investigate and subsequently identified and arrested 35-year-old Corey Howard of Concord Township.
Evidence including the firearm used was also recovered.
Howard was later indicted on several charges including having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony.
On May 23, Howard was sentenced to 9 months in prison by Judge Patrick J. Condon at the Lake County Common Pleas Court.