MAHONING COUNTY Youngstown man gets sentence of 15 years for shooting at 3 in car

Johnson still insists he is innocent of the crime.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A North Lane Avenue man, convicted of shooting at three people in a car outside a beverage store, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
A jury in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court convicted Donterl Johnson, 31, on July 2 of three counts of felonious assault and using a firearm.
Witnesses said Johnson and another man, 22-year-old Rodney Carter of Delaware Avenue, were outside the Six Brothers Drive-Through on Oak Street in September 2002 when they fired gunshots at a car in which two adults and their 18-month-old son were riding. No people were hit, but the car was shot four times.
Carter was sentenced to six years in prison in May after pleading guilty to charges identical to Johnson's.
As he had throughout his trial, Johnson insisted that he is innocent.
"I did not have no involvement in this case," Johnson said Monday with tears streaming down his face. "I just want to get this over with and be back with my family."
Victim's testimony
Judge Jack Durkin noted that, despite Johnson's denials, one of the victims testified during the trial that he knows Johnson and identified him as one of two people who were shooting at the car that day.
Judge Durkin also said 12 jurors unanimously agreed that Johnson was guilty.
"It sickens me that I must now sentence someone of your age to prison for a significant amount of time," the judge said before imposing the sentence.
Judge Durkin sentenced Johnson to four years in prison for each of the three felonious assault counts and ordered them served consecutively. By law, the gun specification carries a three-year sentence that must be served before the felonious assault sentence begins.
Assistant Prosecutor Gina Arnaut said Johnson has been in prison before, serving nine years for felonious assault. He was released from prison in 2001 and was on parole when he committed the latest crime.
"Obviously the first prison sentence wasn't enough to deter him from offending again," Arnaut said. She asked for a six-year sentence on each count.
Defense attorney John B. Juhasz argued that such a long sentence would be too harsh under the circumstances. He said no one was hit or hurt in the gunfire, although Arnaut said a bullet narrowly missed a baby in the back seat of the car.
bjackson@vindy.com