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By JANE ERNSBERGER
Special to the Daily Globe
WILLARD — A Willard teen has pleaded guilty to shooting his mother almost one year ago.
Michael Evan Mason, 17, 23 North Main Street entered his pleas last week, just days before he was to stand trial in Huron County Common Pleas Court. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.
He had been indicted on one count of attempted murder by the Huron County Grand Jury after police were called to his home on May 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Willard Police Chief Mark Holden said a mother had called 9-1-1 and said he had locked herself in her bedroom and that her son had shot her.
Officers rushed to the home and went inside. The alleged shooter was gone.
“The mother was alert and conscious,” Holden said. “Neighbors said he went out the back door.”
The woman was taken to Mercy Willard Hospital by Willard EMS. Police officers then began an extensive search of the area, Holden said, after being given the name and a description of the teen.
“The schools were put on lockdown,” Holden said. “We found out there were some kids (from Central Elementary School) at the park. We had to get more people there since that was his last known direction of travel.”
Eventually the police department released the name of the alleged shooter as Michael Mason. A massive manhunt was started in the area and the CSX yard with police officers from Willard and Norwalk, sheriff’s deputies, K-9 officers, the Huron County Special Response Team (SWAT) and air support and troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
At Willard High School, which was in lockdown along with the rest of the schools, one of the students told a police sergeant he had picked up Mason and had taken him own home on West Pearl Street.
Holden said once he and Officer Brian Slone arrived at the address, they talked to a teen who gave them a name. Slone, who is the school resource officer, was standing behind the teen and recognized him as Michael Mason. Slone handcuffed the juvenile, and he was taken into police custody.
Charges were originally filed in Huron County Juvenile Court against Mason, but the charges were moved into Huron County Common Pleas Court following a probable cause hearing. In October Judge Tim Conway ruled Mason should be tried in adult court.
The guilty plea from Mason was the result of an agreement between Huron County Prosecutor Russell Leffler and Mason and his attorney, David Longo, according to Leffler. The agreement was made after the court took the three year gun specification off the table.
“He doesn’t get any credit for good time while he is in prison because he pleaded guilty to the attempted murder,” Leffler said. “He does get 343 days credit for time he’s been in jail.”
Mason must serve at least five years before he can apply to get out of prison early, according to Leffler.
“The judge did not impose a fine,” he added. “The court is trying to figure out what restitution might be.”
When Mason pleaded guilty to attempted murder, his mother, who was his victim, was in the courtroom, Leffler noted.
“Before we made the plea agreement, she said it was acceptable to her,” he said. “Mostly, she said she wanted to know why. He didn’t apologize as he left the courtroom.” |
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