LORAIN — A man accused in a road rage shooting that left a woman injured remains in custody without bond following his arraignment on multiple felony charges.
Nicholas John DeJesus, 27, of Amherst Township, appeared in Lorain Municipal Court on May 20. He pleaded not guilty to one count of discharging a firearm on or near a prohibited premises, a first-degree felony, and six counts of felonious assault, each classified as second-degree felonies. The charges are connected to a shooting that occurred shortly before 8 a.m. on May 19 near the intersection of Middle Ridge Road and State Route 58.
According to the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, a woman was shot while driving a transport van. The vehicle was carrying five adult passengers with developmental disabilities and is affiliated with Rising Sun Centers LLC, based in Wakeman. The passengers were not injured.
The driver, identified in public fundraising efforts as Cassie Cisar, sustained a gunshot wound and was transported for medical treatment. Officials have confirmed she was not involved in the altercation that preceded the shooting.
DeJesus turned himself in to the Amherst Police Department shortly after the incident and was booked into the Lorain County Jail later that morning. Jail records list him as a maximum-security inmate. No bond has been set.
A temporary protection order was issued during the May 20 hearing. It prohibits DeJesus from contacting the victims and employees of Rising Sun Centers, from being within 500 feet of them, and from possessing firearms.
A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for May 28 in Lorain Municipal Court.
Following the incident, a GoFundMe campaign was created to assist with Cisar’s recovery. The fundraiser, titled “Support Cassie’s Road to Recovery,” had raised over $28,000 as of May 21. The campaign is available at: gofundme.com/f/h8whp-support-cassies-road-to-recovery.
DeJesus remains in custody at the Lorain County Correctional Facility. The investigation is ongoing.