By John Estridge from multiple media reports
A couple wanted in the shooting of a Kentucky family outside O’Bannon Woods State Park near Corydon was captured in South Dakota.
Timothy Sargent, 41, and Savanna Emich, 20, are persons of interest in the Harrison County, Indiana, shooting. Also, Sargent is a person of interest in a murder in Ohio, and another murder in West Virginia and has a warrant for his arrest out for an attempted murder in Ohio.
According to an article in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “the South Dakota Highway Patrol was called to a crash in Clay County, spokesman Tony Mangan said, but the vehicle left before troopers arrived. Troopers learned the car was stolen and possibly connected to Sargent.
“Troopers and sheriffs’ deputies, from multiple county departments, found the vehicle, which drove through ‘multiple counties,’ Mangan said.
“Sargent and Emich were taken into custody without incident by a farm near rural Freeman. There were minor injuries to both suspects, but neither was transported to the hospital, Mangan said.
“Both are in custody on out-of-state warrants. They are listed as being logged into the Minnehaha County Jail. Neither has been charged for the event in Indiana, and they are wanted for questioning, but Sargent is considered a suspect or person of interest in two homicides in Ohio and West Virginia and an attempted murder in Ohio.”
Again, according to the article in the Sioux Falls newspaper, Sargent was wanted out of Ohio for attempted murder and is a person of interest in a homicide, both of which occurred recently, according to the Indiana State Police. Sargent was also named a suspect in a fatal shooting in West Virginia.
Sargent was wanted in connection to a shooting near the Towpath Trail in Akron on Aug. 17, and in connection to a homicide near Akron the next day. On Aug. 19, two people had been shot in their car near O’Bannon Woods State Park in southern Indiana.
According to an article on the Cleveland.com website, a warrant on charges of attempted murder, felonious assault and weapons under disability has been filed against Sargent, in connection with a shooting in Akron. Police were called to 20 block of West North Street, which is near Cascade Park just north of downtown, just after 9 p.m. They found the victim, a 29-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to Summa Health Akron City Hospital and is expected to recover, according to police.
According to Cleveland19.com, Sargent is also a possible suspect in the death of 22-year-old Rebecca Tomlinson also in Akron.
Alleged crime spree
Akron, Ohio
According to the CantonRep.com, Tomlinson was the mother of two children ages 2 and 4. Tomlinson had a relationship with the 29-year-old man later found shot. All four people, including Sargent and Emich, knew each other.
Tomlinson apparently suffered from substance abuse and mental illness, according to the article. She and the 29-year-old male were in a program and were trying to get sober together. Just before the shootings, Tomlinson and the 29-year-old male had a falling out. That apparently, in some way, triggered events that eventually led to the murder and attempted murder. Sargent and Emich are believed to have gone to where the 29-year-old male had been staying to get Tomlinson’s belongings.
The 29-year-old male is expected to survive his injuries.
According to the article, the man was shot the day Sargent and Emich went to get Tomlinson’s belongings, and Tomlinson’s body was found the next day in another outside location.
West Virginia
An article on the WSAZ Channel 3 website stated: “According to Cabell County Sheriff Chuck Zerkle, investigators are looking into the possibility that Sargent is connected to the shooting death of David Wesley Martin, 62, of Milton. Sheriff Zerkle said that it is too early to make a definite connection, and they are not closing out any other possible suspects in the case.
“Martin was involved in what was first reported as a deadly crash along Route 60, early Wednesday morning, in the Milton area near the Wallace Funeral Home.”
Wednesday was the day after Tomlinson’s body was found in Akron and the same day as the shootings in southern Indiana.
The O’Bannon Woods State Park shooting
According to an ISP press release, a family of three was leaving the state park around 9:15 p.m., in a white Hyundai Santa Fe with Kentucky license plates on Wednesday, August 19. The three people had just enjoyed a hike in the state park. A white Dodge Avenger, with its brights on, pulled up quickly behind the Santa Fe with the trio from the state park. The male driver of the Santa Fe pulled over to allow the Avenger to pass.
As the Avenger pulled up beside the Santa Fe, an occupant in the Avenger fired several bullets into the Santa Fe.
An off-duty Corydon Police Department Officer, who lives near the shooting site, was the first to arrive on the scene. Also responding were ISP and Indiana Conservation Officers. They found the male driver had been struck by bullets multiple times. The female front passenger had also been hit. A female passenger in the back seat had not been shot.
The driver was aircared to the University of Louisville hospital while the two female passengers were taken to the same hospital by ambulance. Police said the male driver has life-threatening injuries.
After being shot, the Santa Fe driver attempted to escape but crashed the car a short distance away.
Police speculate the Avenger driver believed to be Sargent, attempted to flee from the area and abandoned the Avenger in a cornfield 15 miles away in Carefree, Indiana. It is then alleged the Avenger driver stole a pickup truck parked at a nearby residence and fled the area.