Toledoan indicted in dragging death at gas station

Geoffrey Dupuis allegedly ran over Randall York at the Speedway station on Secor and Laskey. Mr. York died at the scene.

A Toledo man whom police accuse of intentionally hitting and dragging another man 63 feet with a minivan was indicted Monday by a Lucas County grand jury.

Geoffrey Dupuis, 47, of 3335 West Laskey Rd., has been charged with murder stemming from the death of Randall York, 55, of West Toledo.

Authorities said Mr. York was hit by the vehicle on June 11 after trying to stop the suspect and his son from fleeing the parking lot of the Speedway gas station at Secor and Laskey roads after an alleged crime.

The suspect's son, Jacob Dupuis, 18, was previously charged with assault for allegedly punching a customer in the gas station. He also lives at the West Laskey Road address, just west of the gas station. He has since been released from the Lucas County jail, where his father remains.

The death was the eighth homicide in Toledo this year.

Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre said the older Mr. Dupuis put his minivan in drive, gunned the engine, and intentionally ran over Mr. York after the younger Mr. Dupuis was involved in the altercation shortly before 10:30 p.m. inside the station at 5010 Secor.

Chief Navarre said Mr. York had been at a fuel pump outside and witnessed the altercation between the younger Mr. Dupuis and a customer inside the station.

Authorities said that after the younger Mr. Dupuis fled the store and got into the minivan, Mr. York put his hands onto the vehicle's hood and stood in front of it to stop the father and son from fleeing before police arrived.

Mr. York was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lucas County Coroner Dr. James Patrick said Mr. York died of "massive head injuries." A ruling in the death is pending the results of toxicology and other tests.