Two men charged as codefendants to December shooting in Mahomet
Apr. 17—URBANA — Two Danville men have been arraigned as co-defendants to a December shooting in Mahomet that left one man injured.
Ayron D. Worthington, 33, and Raekwon Collins, 30, have been charged this month with aggravated battery with a firearm and conspiracy to commit a robbery. Worthington was also charged with aggravated battery.
The charges connect the two men to a Dec. 22 incident. The state alleged they were accomplices to Joseph Hoosier, 46, of Champaign, who was charged last month with allegedly shooting an out-of-state cannabis dispensary owner who was visiting the city to see family.
During the man's visit, he met someone who suggested he provide free cannabis samples, Assistant State's Attorney Chris McCallum said during Hoosier's arraignment.
The man declined and later drove to Mahomet to meet a friend.
Hoosier, Collins and Worthington believed the man was traveling with a large amount of cannabis and cash and decided to follow him to Mahomet, McCallum said.
Police allegedly obtained surveillance footage that showed the three defendants arrive outside the man's friend's house in Mahomet.
They approached the victim and Worthington grabbed him from behind, Assistant State's Attorney Scott Larson said.
The victim was able to wrestle himself free and get into his vehicle, but Hoosier then allegedly shot at the man twice, hitting him twice in the side. The victim called his daughter and went to a hospital.
Later, the victim was given a blind photo array and immediately selected Hoosier as the shooter, McCallum said.
The two people he was visiting in Mahomet corroborated that they heard two gunshots, and police found two bullet casings outside.
The vehicles the three would-be robbers drove were later identified through license-plate readers.
Before Hoosier was located, Collins and Worthington were arrested and both identified Hoosier as the shooter, McCallum said.
Collins and Worthington each face six to 30 years in prison if convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony.
A Champaign County judge ruled that Worthington could await his pending trial outside a jail.
A hearing on whether Collins can do the same is scheduled to take place Friday.
