A Columbus-area man accused of opening fire on two Mifflin Township police officers last spring is set to return to Franklin County court Thursday, nearly a year after a traffic stop turned into what investigators describe as a roadside gun battle and a multi-day manhunt that ended in a tense standoff in Obetz.
Court date and charges
According to WSYX, 21-year-old Daveonte Dixon is scheduled to appear in court Thursday, with the hearing set for March 12, 2026. He faces a slate of felony counts that include attempted murder, assault and tampering with evidence. Investigators say Dixon was riding as a passenger in a car that officers pulled over, then ran from the stop and began shooting at Mifflin Township officers.
Prosecutors outline indictment
The Franklin County Prosecutor's Office says a grand jury indicted Dixon on two counts of attempted murder, six counts of felonious assault, one count of tampering with evidence and two counts of having a weapon while under disability, with firearm specifications attached to several of the charges. Prosecutors say the incident began when officers stopped a vehicle for obstructing traffic on Agler Road on May 28, 2025 and that Dixon, a passenger in the vehicle, ran from the stop and opened fire as officers chased him. The office notes that a conviction on every count would trigger a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years in prison under Ohio law.
Manhunt ended at Obetz apartment complex
Authorities say Dixon stayed ahead of law enforcement for two days before officers tracked him to an apartment complex on Thelma Drive in Obetz. A SWAT team at the scene reports that he fired at deputies there and then suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. WOSU Public Media reports that body-worn camera footage released by the sheriff's office shows Dixon getting out of a vehicle, falling as he runs and then turning back toward officers to fire. The episode sparked a multi-agency search effort and a combined reward from local and federal partners as investigators worked to find him.
Plea and wider fallout
After spending nearly three months in the hospital for his injuries, Dixon was moved to the Franklin County jail, where he later entered a not guilty plea, according to local reporting. In August 2025, remained held without bond coverage noted that he was still in custody while prosecutors prepared their case and that multiple other people were later charged with helping him evade arrest. Those related indictments highlighted the scale of the investigation and the joint work between federal and local law enforcement agencies.
What to watch in court
Prosecutors say they plan to pursue the full set of charges and firearm specifications as the case moves through Franklin County's courts, which could sharply increase any prison term if Dixon is convicted. Thursday's hearing is the next major step in a case that started with a traffic stop and left two officers recovering from gunshot wounds. Upcoming court filings and scheduling decisions will determine whether the case heads to trial later this year.
