Toledo assault suspect indicted on 2 felony charges

8/30/2007

A Toledo man accused in February of fleeing from police after authorities said he rammed into a vehicle driven by the mother of his children on her way to the police station was indicted yesterday on two felony charges.

A Lucas County grand jury indicted James Gaston, 29, of 925 Hamilton Ave. on a charge of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and an unrelated grand theft charge, both felonies.

If Gaston is convicted on both charges, he could serve up to three years in prison, authorities said.

Gaston is free on a $10,000 property bond posted by Precious Jackson, 24, whom he is charged with threatening as he rammed into her vehicle Feb. 26 while she drove toward police headquarters downtown.

Police said Ms. Jackson had called 911 earlier that day and said Gaston was following her and threatening to physically assault her.

Toledo police chased Gaston through downtown, a pursuit reaching about 50 mph, until his van slammed into a vehicle at Madison Avenue and 20th Street.

He has been accused of threatening, battering, and violating temporary protection orders at least 21 times dating to 1996, but has only served two brief jail sentences for domestic violence convictions, according to court records.

Gaston was charged with grand theft May 9 for providing a false name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center to deprive the hospital of the cost of services he received, according to court records.