Middletown police: Driver of other vehicle, person who fired weapon located in deadly shooting

Apr. 19—Middletown police say they have located the driver of the other vehicle and the person who fired a gun Tuesday night in a two-vehicle incident that left a 26-year-old man dead in an apparent road-rage incident.

On Friday, the victim was identified by the Butler County Coroner's Office as Brandon Chase Gunstanson. Gunstanson died of gunshot wounds and his death has been ruled a homicide.

The investigation is still ongoing, according to police, who released additional information Thursday afternoon but said no one was arrested.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Ballinger at 513-425-7785 or 513-425-7700.

Officers were called to the area of Manchester Avenue and Verity Parkway about 11:50 p.m. on a report of gunshots exchanged between occupants of two vehicles.

The driver of a pickup truck was hit by gunfire as was his vehicle, leading officers to the 100 block of South Clinton Street and First Avenue, where the truck hit a pole near the Eagles FOE Lodge 528, according to Sgt. Earl Nelson and Acting Chief Eric Crank.

The driver suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and died at the scene. The other vehicle involved sped away but has now been located by detectives. The victim has not been identified, pending autopsy scheduled for Friday morning by the Butler County Coroner's Office.

Police gave no reason for the lack of charges, but a 911 caller told dispatchers he heard gunfire after a truck "rammed" a car on Verity Parkway as he was turning onto Manchester.

"The truck hit the car, then gunshots went off," the caller said. He described the truck as a 1990s model white Chevy. The man circled around but did not see the vehicles involved.

Minutes later, a second 911 call was placed by a male reporting an "accident for Verity Parkway." The caller spoke broken English.

The phone was then handed to a man who said he was at the Eagles lodge and a truck hit a pole.

"He is literally in the middle of the road," the male said. The truck was still running, the caller said. The driver was "bloody," and slumped over the wheel, according to the caller, who was able to give the dispatcher the license plate number.

Crank said detectives have video and photo evidence, specifically from the bus transit building on Broad Street, and witnesses have stepped up.

Nelson said detectives have interviewed witnesses and have different accounts about what happened.

"It is similar, but not exactly the same, to say what happened and what led to the actual shooting," Nelson said.

A preliminary investigation indicates the truck's engine overheated, the radiator exploded and fluid began leaking, which was tracked by police to the crashed truck, Nelson said.