NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio — Police in Cleveland and Newburgh Heights are investigating a shooting and two separate crashes that officers said are connected on Wednesday night.
Officers said it began before 5:30 p.m. near the Interstate 77 ramp to Fleet Avenue.
John Campbell was inside his home on Independence Road when he heard gunfire.
"Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow," said Campbell. "Yeah, about five shots. At least five."
He pointed to a hole in the side of his home that he said came from one of the bullets.
Crime scene technicians photographed and collected a number of shell casings that littered the road.
"Look, there's one right there," said Anthony Turay as he stood in his front yard. "Number five."
About 500 feet away, just across the Newburgh Heights border, a gray Toyota RAV4 had been rear-ended before it crashed into a tree.
A trail of car parts extended another several hundred feet, leading to a Dodge Charger that crashed head-on into a tree in the Metroparks Washington Reservation. According to Newburgh Heights police, the Dodge crashed after the driver was shot on Fleet Avenue. The shooting caused the driver to lose control, hit the SUV, and subsequently crash. The driver of the Dodge was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Cleveland police officers and crime scene techs could be seen searching that car.
"I would love for them to find out what happened," said Campbell. "When it hits home, that's when it bothers you the most, you know?"
"You hear it on the news, but when it happens to you, it's all scary," said Turay.
