Accused killer of bicyclist being held on $500,000 bond
7/25/2008
A 19-year-old South Toledo man accused of killing a man last week who was riding his bicycle to work along Western Avenue was arraigned Friday morning in Toledo Municipal Court.
Judge Francis Gorman ordered Dounche Jones of 235 Western Ave., who was charged with murder and underage consumption of alcohol, to be held in the Lucas County jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 1.
Toledo police arrested Jones about 1:30 a.m. Thursday at Bogart s Bar, 1402 South Ave., near Spencer Street, police said.
Jones is accused of shooting David Babcock, 46, of 908 Kingston Ave. once in the mouth outside a house in the 800 block of Western about 5:45 a.m. July 15, police said.
Mr. Babcock died shortly after arriving at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.
Mr. Babcock, a longtime employee of Fresh Products Inc., had set out on his bike for the first time on what was to be an eight-mile ride to work when he was fatally shot.
His fiance, Rene Long, said he was trying to save gas money.
Detective William Bragg called for uniformed crews early Thursday after he saw Jones walk out of a back door of the South Toledo bar. A warrant had been issued for his arrest Wednesday, court records show.
Uniformed officers arrived a short time later and saw the suspect ascending a flight of stairs to an apartment above the bar.
They ordered Jones down at gunpoint and arrested him, police said.
Police Capt. Ray Carroll said Jones was uncooperative during an interrogation. Police are unsure of the motive in the shooting.
According to witnesses, Mr. Babcock and Jones were arguing before the shooting.
"But we don t know if [the victim and the suspect] were yelling at each other or whether the suspect demanded money and the victim said no, " Captain Carroll said.
In January, Jones was convicted on two counts of drug abuse, court records show.
At 15, he was found delinquent in Lucas County Juvenile Court in connection with resisting arrest and drug abuse, according to Dan Pompa, the court s administrator.
Three months before he turned 18, Jones was arrested after he punched a 60-year-old man and stole his bicycle.
He was found guilty of robbery and sentenced to 90 days at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, Stryker, Mr. Pompa said.
Staff writer Laren Weber contributed to this report.
(From earlier editions of toledoblade.com.)
A 19-year-old South Toledo man accused of killing a man last week who was riding his bicycle to work along Western Avenue was being held last night in the Lucas County jail without bond.
Dounche Jones of 235 Western Ave., who was charged with murder and underage consumption of alcohol, will be arraigned today in Toledo Municipal Court.
Toledo police arrested Jones about 1:30 a.m. yesterday at Bogart's Bar, 1402 South Ave., near Spencer Street, police said.
Jones is accused of shooting David Babcock, 46, of 908 Kingston Ave. once in the mouth outside a house in the 800 block of Western about 5:45 a.m. July 15, police said.
Mr. Babcock died shortly after arriving at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.
Mr. Babcock, a longtime employee of Fresh Products Inc., had set out on his bike for the first time on what was to be an eight-mile ride to work when he was fatally shot.
His fiance, Rene Long, said he was trying to save gas money.
Detective William Bragg called for uniformed crews early yesterday after he saw Jones walk out of a back door of the South Toledo bar. A warrant had been issued for his arrest Wednesday, court records show.
Uniformed officers arrived a short time later and saw the suspect ascending a flight of stairs to an apartment above the bar.
They ordered Jones down at gunpoint and arrested him, police said.
Police Capt. Ray Carroll said Jones was uncooperative during an interrogation. Police are unsure of the motive in the shooting.
According to witnesses, Mr. Babcock and Jones were arguing before the shooting.
"But we don't know if [the victim and the suspect] were yelling at each other or whether the suspect demanded money and the victim said 'no,'•" Captain Carroll said.
In January, Jones was convicted on two counts of drug abuse, court records show.
At 15, he was found delinquent in Lucas County Juvenile Court in connection with resisting arrest and drug abuse, according to Dan Pompa, the court's administrator.
Three months before he turned 18, Jones was arrested after he punched a 60-year-old man and stole his bicycle.
He was found guilty of robbery and sentenced to 90 days at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, Stryker, Mr. Pompa said.
Staff writer Laren Weber contributed to this report.
Contact Mike Sigov at:
sigov@theblade.com
or 419-724-6074.