Defendant shouts out at arraignment

9/18/2012
BY TAYLOR DUNGJEN
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Tensions in a Toledo Municipal Courtroom were high on Monday during the arraignment of Tyler Watson, the suspect in the city’s most recent homicide.

Watson, 23, of 1618 Avondale Ave. is charged with one count of murder in the death of Nicholas Linke, 20, also of Toledo, on Sept. 8. Bond for Watson was set at $1 million.

“A million dollars? For real?” Watson asked, in disbelief, as bond was being discussed.

During the court appearance, Watson, several times, looked back at family members in the gallery. After bond was set, Watson shrugged off a deputy and a family member shouted, “I love you, Ty.”

“I love you all, too,” he responded. “Take care of my daughter.”

“I got you, man,” Watson’s younger brother Elijah Watson, 19, responded.

After being led around the corner, Watson could be heard, shouting at a deputy, “Get off me, man.”

After the court appearance, Watson’s family met outside the downtown courthouse.

“Did you see how he looked at me? That’s what hurt me, Bro,” said Eli Watson to another family member. “He looked at me.”

To reporters, Eli Watson said, “My brother is a loving, caring man. If he did it, it’s because that’s what he had to do.”

Other family members repeatedly said, “It’s shoot or be shot.”

In court documents, police outlined what they believe happened at the time of the shooting based, at least in part, on information from a witness.

The documents say the witness told police that the victim was sitting in his parked truck in front of a store in the 800 block of Buckeye Street in North Toledo when a man was seen getting into the truck. A few minutes later, the witness reportedly heard a gunshot and the same man got out of the car and ran.

The victim then drove north on North Ontario Street and hit several vehicles before stopping in a front yard in the 1900 block of North Ontario.

The victim was taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, where he died of a single gunshot wound to the torso, according to the Lucas County Coroner’s Office.

Mr. Linke’s mother, Vickie Linke, said the victim’s family was not in court Monday because they had not been notified of the arraignment.

Ms. Linke on Monday said she was going to speak with representatives from a victim assistance program and was not available for comment.

Watson’s mother, Rosalind Banford, said her son will get out of jail.

One of Watson’s two children, a daughter who turns 2 next week, was in court today with her mother, Krystal Gushard, 25, of Toledo.

Ms. Gushard said she is the mother of Watson’s children and she is 3 months pregnant with their third.

Watson is to appear in court again on Sept. 24.

Contact Taylor Dungjen at: tdungjen@theblade.com or 419-724-6054.