Prisoner who twice escaped is indicted

4/10/2013

A Toledo man who twice escaped police custody late last month was indicted this week by a Lucas County grand jury on six charges related to the shooting death of Jonathan Morris last fall and two charges stemming from his alleged escape.

Jonathon Johnson, 23, of 1657 Vance St. is to be arraigned April 23 in Lucas County Common Pleas Court for aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery, felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon, and illegal possession of a firearm in liquor permit premises. Mr. Morris, 22, died Oct. 5 after being shot at East Toledo’s Ravine Park Village.

On Tuesday, a grand jury handed up two more charges against Mr. Johnson: escape and trespass in a habitation for running from Lucas County sheriff's deputies who were taking him back to jail from Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center on March 30.

Andrew Lastra, an assistant prosecutor, said while two other suspects — Andrew Goetz and Chaz Jackson — were charged with aggravated murder, murder, and aggravated robbery in the death of Mr. Morris, investigators now have information that leads them to believe Mr. Johnson was the shooter. Mr. Lastra said Mr. Johnson allegedly had a gun in a bar the night Mr. Morris was killed. Mr. Johnson and several others got into a fight at the bar, were told to leave, and later went to Ravine Park Village, where Mr. Morris was shot. Mr. Lastra said investigators also allege Mr. Johnson fired two shots at a witness.