COLUMBUS — A Columbus man was shot at on I-70 during his drive home from a chemotherapy appointment in what he believes was an unprovoked attack.
The Ohio Department of Transportation released video of the shooting. The video shows the victim’s black truck pulling off to the shoulder after a shot went through his window.
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Jesse, who asked to be identified only by his first name, spoke via Zoom with our news partner WBNS-TV in Columbus from his hospital bed at Grant Medical Center.
Jesse said the incident unraveled quickly Tuesday morning as he was driving home after his chemotherapy session. Jesse battles a form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma.
“He slowed down, I heard a loud noise, and that was him shooting into my truck. He tried to keep getting in front of me, and I didn’t want to let him in front—just because I didn’t want him being able to stop me and keep shooting,” Jesse said.
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Jesse was able to call 911 while he was trying to get away from the driver. He told them that he had been shot in the face by a person driving a gold Chevrolet Equinox.
A witness to the shooting called 911 too, according to WBNS-TV. The witness said they thought the two vehicles were brake-checking each other and that road rage may have caused the shooting, according to the dispatcher.
However, Jesse doesn’t believe that this was a road rage incident.
“He decided to go right to the left and stop next to me and shoot,” Jesse said. “That was the only interaction I had with him. There was no back and forth, no brake-checking, nothing like that.”
The bullet struck Jesse’s truck door, shattering the glass. Jesse turned his face, but the round went through the glass, skimming past him, according to WBNS-TV.
“It could have been a lot worse. I remember seeing the hole in the window—it was damn near where my head was," he said.
Jesse told WBNS-TV he has lost two of his teeth and received 11 stitches and glue. He may have to undergo chin and gum surgery, and he’s lost some vision in his left eye. He was discharged from the hospital Tuesday.
Police have identified the suspect as 33-year-old DeWayne Pittman and charged him with felonious assault.
Pittman was employed by VEPO, a subcontractor under Sensus on the City of Columbus’ Department of Public Utilities’ Enhanced Meter Project, according to WBNS-TV.
“Sensus has already informed us that Pittman is no longer employed on this project. Our thoughts are with the victim and their family,” a spokesperson with the city’s Department of Public Utilities said.
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