A Defiance man has pleaded guilty to shooting at a truck driver on the Ohio Turnpike.
Bruce Enos, 63, appeared Tuesday in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Court Judge Matt Reger.
He had been indicted in March for felonious assault, a second-degree felony; improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; and discharge of firearms on or near prohibited premises, a third-degree felony.
On Tuesday, Enos pleaded guilty to the assault and discharging a firearm charges.
The third charge was dismissed, as were all mandatory firearms specifications that accompanied the charges.
Wood County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brian Boos said that on Feb. 11 at 9:36 p.m., the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to mile marker 67 on the turnpike for a 911 call from Enos, who said he had shot at a commercial vehicle.
Mile marker 67 is between Perrysburg and Stony Ridge.
Two Taurus handguns, a 9 mm and a .38 special, were found in Enos’ vehicle, Boos said.
He said Enos reportedly had issues with a semi driver, who he said was applying his brakes quickly and swerving to drive him off the road.
Enos fired twice at the semi. One bullet hit the engine bay and the second struck behind the driver’s side window in the back of the cab, Boos said.
The semi driver also called 911 and reported he had been shot at, Boos said.
“Anytime a person is shooting at a moving vehicle that is being operated by another person, that creates substantial harm,” Boos said. “Regardless of defendant’s belief, there is no legal justification for the use of deadly force in this manner.”
Reger said the felonious assault charge carried a maximum prison term of eight years with an additional four years due to the charge falling within the Reagan Tokes Act guidelines.
The discharge of firearms charge has a maximum sentence of 36 months, but a prison sentenced is not presumed.
Reger said there has been a request by the defense for the merger of the charges, which would result in just one sentence. If merger is not approved, the sentences could be served consecutively for a total of 11-15 years.
Sentencing was set for March 7.
