A Glouster man had his first appearance in court Monday on a new charge of murder after his alleged victim of felonious assault died in Columbus Friday.
Gary F. Wooten, 20, appeared in Athens County Municipal Court via video on one count of murder. No plea was entered on the charge. Wooten was originally charged with one count of felonious assault after he allegedly got into a fistfight with Harley Aaron Pruitt, 20, in Chauncey.
After the altercation, which left him unconscious, Pruitt was taken to O’Bleness Memorial Hospital and was then flown by a Life Flight helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, according to court documents.
Pruitt died at 1:45 p.m. in the hospital Friday, and Wooten was given an additional charge of murder, Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said.
The felonious assault charge was dismissed in court Monday. Blackburn asked Judge William Grimm to increase Wooten’s bond from $50,000 to $250,000.
Wooten is being held at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.
Blackburn called for the increase because Wooten is more likely to flee the state with his more serious charge.
“According to witnesses, (Wooten) punched the victim 15 times after he had passed out,” Blackburn said. “He is dangerous and a flight risk.”
Claire Ball, Wooten’s attorney, said Blackburn’s information was false and that $250,000 is an unreasonable amount for bond because Wooten’s family has not yet been able to post the $50,000 bond.
“He has a strong family support, and much of his family is here in the court room,” Ball said. “This boy isn’t going to flee.”
Ball added that Wooten does not have any prior felony convictions and would have a job working for his father if released. Ball said that Wooten would agree to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.
Grimm decided to keep Wooten’s bond at $50,000, and he will be required to wear a GPS monitor if released.
Grimm said he made the decision because Wooten does not have a criminal record and Wooten’s actions, which originally resulted in a $50,000 bond for the felonious assault, had not changed with the new charge.
Wooten’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 16.
Blackburn said he is planning to bring down a pathologist from Columbus who will hopefully have determined Pruitt’s cause of death by May 16.
Wooten could be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years if convicted at trial, Blackburn said.
ml147009@ohiou.edu
