Defendant testifies in shooting trial: admits firing but says he did not see police, cites intoxication and later memory recovery
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Summary
On the stand in a shooting trial, defendant Tyler Ashbaugh acknowledged firing his handgun on the night in question, said he did not see police vehicles or officers at the scene, and testified his memory was impaired by heavy intoxication; prosecutors introduced text messages and video evidence linked to the incident.
At the trial of Tyler Ashbaugh, the defendant testified that he fired his handgun the night of the incident but said he did not see any police officers or patrol vehicles in the church parking lot where the shots were discharged.
Ashbaugh testified he had been drinking and that intoxication affected his memory of the night. He said he initially told detectives a version of events that omitted admission of firing; later, after consulting counsel and reviewing evidence, he told the court he had fired the weapon. On cross-examination, prosecutors played excerpts of text messages and asked the defendant about a message that read "shoot out tonight," sent at about 01:34 a.m., which Ashbaugh acknowledged sending in the course of an argument with a person identified in the texts as Tatiana.
The state introduced multiple pieces of evidence on the record during testimony: comparative text logs (exhibits offered and admitted), surveillance video showing headlights and vehicle movements in the parking area where the shooting occurred, and demonstrative material illustrating how astigmatism can affect nighttime vision. The defense elicited testimony that Ashbaugh’s vision is impaired at night and that his glasses were often taped or in poor repair. Ashbaugh testified that his phone, wallet, and peripheral vision were compromised at times that night and that he had been "very intoxicated," though he also said his recollection had improved after reviewing video evidence with counsel.
Prosecutors questioned Ashbaugh about his motives; the defendant said he wanted to discharge his firearm (he said he had expressed a desire to go to a range previously) and that he thought he would aim into the ground or an open field. Prosecutors emphasized the risk of ricochet and the presence of nearby structures and a playground adjacent to the field; Ashbaugh acknowledged that bullets can ricochet and that he could not guarantee where a fired round would go. Officers’ testimony not excerpted here described observing a muzzle flash near a patrol vehicle and locating shell casings in and around the scene; the defense disputed some perceptions, pointing to Ashbaugh’s stated intoxication and limited nighttime vision.
On re-examination, Ashbaugh said he realized he might be a suspect after family members and detectives began contacting him the next morning and after viewing news reports. He acknowledged sending later texts saying, "I'm going to jail," and other messages summarizing events, and he testified that he feared losing his job and the ability to provide for his family if detained. The trial record shows the state tendered multiple exhibits (text logs, surveillance stills and video, and vision-demonstration images) admitted into evidence during testimony; the record excerpt ends while the cross-examination and evidentiary presentations remain ongoing.
