Springfield man accused of murder indicted with gun charge

A Springfield man accused of murder was indicted on new charges in connection to a gun found in his car by law enforcement.

Gabriel Crossley, 31, was out of jail on bond for the murder charge when he was stopped Oct. 11 by a Springfield police officer for having a window that was illegally tinted, according to documents filed in Clark County Municipal Court.

Springfield man accused in fatal bar shooting arrested for having loaded gun in car

Officers searched Crossley’s car and found a loaded handgun in the glove box, according to the documents. Officers also found marijuana and cocaine.

“He said people were out to get him, so he carried it,” Springfield police Lt. Lou Turner said. “He said he had this handgun with him for protection.”

Crossley was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle; he also faces drug charges. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and a new bond was set for him at $5,000. Crossley already has an open murder case.

In that case, police and prosecutors say that Crossley fired into a crowd of people in June 2018 at the Wagon Wheel bar in Springfield. Jahream Beard, 35, died as a result of the shooting, and two other people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Prosecutors previously said that Beard and Crossley knew each other. Crossley was arrested in April when he was picked up by the U.S. Marshal Service in coordination with Springfield police.

Crossley is not charged in relation to the two other victims.

The new charges did prompt a court hearing where prosecutors asked Clark County Common Pleas Judge Douglas Rastatter to revoke Crossley’s bond. Prosecutors told the judge they would also settle for him increasing the already $250,000 bond.

Rastatter increased the bond to $500,000 and Crossley is still in Clark County Jail, according to records.

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