Latest news with #FranklinCountyMunicipalCourt
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
AirPod dilemma: Is driving with earbuds illegal in Ohio?
Seeing someone with AirPods or other earbuds while doing pretty much any activity is not uncommon in 2025: at the grocery store, at sporting events, even during court hearings. But is it legal to drive in Ohio with earbuds in your ears? The short answer is, "No." Wearing headphones or earbuds, even if no music or other sound is playing, is illegal while driving in Ohio. The law applies to any device worn in or over the ears, whether wired or connected via Bluetooth, that can provide radio programming, music, or other information. The law does not apply to hearing aids or medical devices. Earpieces used by first responders and emergency personnel for communication purposes are also permitted. Ohio's law also provides exceptions for people driving machinery that creates loud noise, like garbage trucks and highway maintenance vehicles. An exception also exists for motorcyclists who wear earplugs or another device to protect their hearing while driving. Drivers in Ohio are expected to be able to hear what is going on around them, like sirens from emergency vehicles and warning sounds from trains. Ohio's headphones law is considered a secondary traffic offense, meaning a driver can't be pulled over just for wearing them. However, if the driver gets pulled over for something else, like speeding, an officer can cite them for having them in their ears. Does Ohio's law about wearing earbuds while driving get enforced? Franklin County Municipal Court records indicate that 52 tickets have been issued for wearing headphones since 2020, with seven of these occurring in the first six months of 2025. Columbus police filed the most citations, 43 of the 52. By comparison, there have been nearly 5,000 citations for distracted driving issued during the same time frame. The vast majority, approximately 3,500, were issued by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Distracted driving became an enforceable primary offense in Ohio in October 2023. Of the total 4,991 tickets issued in Franklin County Municipal Court for distracted driving, 4,770 were issued in 2024 and the first six months of 2025. Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@ or on Bluesky at @ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is driving with headphones, AirPods legal in Ohio? Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Columbus police arrest Aaron Carson in fatal Christmas Day shooting
Columbus police have arrested a man accused of fatally shooting another man on Christmas Day, according to court records. Aaron Carson, 34, of the South Side, is charged with murder in the Dec. 25 death of 30-year-old Demetris Mitchell. According to Franklin County Municipal Court records, Carson and a woman had been at an apartment on the 1700 block of East Weber Road. Video footage from the area shows Mitchell knocking on the apartment door and getting into an argument with Carson. The footage shows Mitchell walking away before turning around and showing a gun that Mitchell then put back in his pocket as he walked away, court records say. Additional footage from the area shows Carson and Rogers get out of a car and go toward the apartments when Mitchell and Carson get into another verbal argument. Carson and Rogers went back to the car, court records say, while Mitchell went into one of the apartments. The video shows Carson pulling the vehicle up to the front of the apartments and waiting for Mitchell to come outside, according to court records. Carson moved the vehicle into an alley and spoke to Mitchell again, court records say, before Mitchell walks away in the direction of the apartment he had left. Around 9:40 a.m., Carson is seen on video pulling out a gun, firing multiple shots out of the driver's door window and driving away with the woman in the passenger seat. Mitchell was struck but was able to run a short distance. He was taken to an area hospital and died less than an hour later from his injuries. According to court records, detectives were able to identify Carson after witnesses provided his nickname, "Yellow," in interviews. The woman and another man who was in the car at the time of the shooting do not have any charges filed against them in connection with the shooting as of May 15. Carson is being held in the Franklin County jail. Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@ or on Bluesky at @ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police arrest suspect in fatal Christmas Day shooting
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Alleged road rage shooter admits to an altercation with driver on I-70 West
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man arrested in connection with a road rage shooting on Interstate 70 in west Columbus faced a judge Wednesday morning. Arrested was 33-year-old DeWayne Pittman after police traced his vehicle via Accurint technology following an incident that occurred on I-70 West, where a man was injured during an alleged road rage shooting. 'If you see one, please step on it:' What to know about an invasive bug Just after 7 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the area of I-70 West and the Hague Road exit after receiving reports of a driver shot. The caller, who was also the victim, gave police a description and license plate of a vehicle, a gold Chevrolet Equinox, which reportedly fled the scene north on Hague Rd. Police found the victim, who was driving a black Ford F-150 pickup truck, and a witness reported seeing the driver of the Equinox fire at the victim, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the face. With the help of Accurint technology, police traced the car to an address on Andurs Avenue in Whitehall, where Pittman was found and taken into custody. Pittman admitted to police he was involved in an altercation and driving alongside someone driving a Ford F-150 on I-70 West. A Franklin County Municipal Court judge issued Pittman, arrested Tuesday and charged with felonious assault, a $500,000 bond and ordered him to next appear in court on April 25 for a preliminary hearing. A motion for a temporary order of protection was also granted. A Columbus city spokesperson said Pittman, who was working for the city as an employee of a subcontractor hired for the city's Enhanced Meter Project, is 'no longer employed on this project.' The Columbus Department of Public Utilities said Pittman was employed by VEPO, which is under contract with Sensus, the prime contractor for the city's meter project. The victim, who identified himself to NBC4 as Jesse Morris, was taken to an area hospital for treatment. He said he has a hole in his lower jaw and that doctors had to pick shrapnel out of his face. The shooting happened as he was on the way to a chemotherapy appointment, according to Morris, who will need another surgery as a result of the shooting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
