ONTARIO — A Crestline man was taken into custody Sunday evening at the scene of a fatal Ontario shooting that left one person dead.
Wesley Patrick, 27, was arraigned Monday morning, according to Mansfield Municipal Court records.
The victim of Sunday’s shooting was identified as 42-year-old Andrew Westlund during an Ontario police press conference Monday afternoon.
Mansfield Municipal Court Judge Michael on Monday Kemerer set a $1 million cash bond for Patrick, charged with one count of voluntary manslaughter.
If released from the Richland County Jail, he is subject to electric monitoring, is ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family and to not possess any firearms or deadly weapons, according to court records.
A preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.
According to court records, Patrick was charged with drag racing in 2022. That drag racing charge was dismissed and Patrick pleaded guilty to one count of nuisance operation.
Voluntary manslaughter defined
Section 2903.03 of the Ohio Revised Code defines voluntary manslaughter as:
“No person, while under the influence of sudden passion or in a sudden fit of rage, either of which is brought on by serious provocation occasioned by the victim that is reasonably sufficient to incite the person into using deadly force, shall knowingly cause the death of another or the unlawful termination of another’s pregnancy.”
Road rage escalated into fatal shooting
According to Lt. Tony Grimwood of the Ontario Police Department, two vehicles were involved in a confrontation Sunday night around 8:55 p.m. while traveling south bound on Lexington Springmill Road in the area of U.S. 30.
It is being investigated as a reported road rage incident which escalated into a fatal shooting. Grimwood said Westlund exited his vehicle and approached Patrick’s vehicle — which is when the confrontation ensued.
“We are still looking into the merit of what that confrontation was,” Grimwood said.
Patrick told police that he remained in his vehicle and rolled down his window when Westlund approached.
Patrick fired one 9mm round which struck Westlund in the chest area, Grimwood said. As of Monday afternoon, Ontario police have not found any weapons associated with Westlund, he said.
PREVIOUS REPORTING
Officers attempted life supporting measures at the scene. Westlund was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“There is nothing, as far as vehicular travel, where you should allow yourself to get that upset because of something that happens on the roadway,” Grimwood said.
Investigators are working to obtain video from cameras around the area of the scene. They are also reviewing information from the department’s Flock system to see if contact can be made with potential witnesses in any vehicles that may have been driving nearby Sunday, Grimwood said.
“The only thing we have been able to pull up is a Flock (camera) image of the SUV (Westlund’s vehicle) speeding past the other (Patrick’s) vehicle,” Grimwood said.
Ontario police seek information
The Richland County Prosecutor’s Office assisted Ontario police at the scene. Also providing aid Sunday night was the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Springfield Township Fire Department.
The Ontario Street Department and Ohio Department of Transportation helped close the roadways surrounding the scene for security purposes.
Grimwood said the incident remains under active investigation as of Monday afternoon and no additional details are being released at this time. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Ontario Police Department, he said.
Ontario police can be contacted at at 419-529-2115.
(Below is a copy of the latest press release from Ontario police related to Sunday’s fatal shooting.)