Nicholas DeJesus has admitted guilt in a Lorain County road-rage shooting that started in Lorain and ended along Leavitt Road in Amherst Township last May, a burst of roadside anger that left a 32-year-old Rising Sun Centers staff member unable to move her legs. After months of hearings and legal back-and-forth, DeJesus pleaded guilty today to an amended indictment and is now slated for sentencing on Aug. 20.
Case update
DeJesus, of Amherst Township, entered the guilty plea to charges tied to the May 19, 2025 incident, including counts related to discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, felonious assault and improper handling of a firearm in a vehicle, according to Cleveland 19/WOIO. Deputies said the shooting unfolded just before 8 a.m. in the 7500 block of Leavitt Road, when DeJesus allegedly fired at another vehicle and instead struck a bystander. The station reported he pleaded to an amended indictment and will return to court for sentencing on Aug. 20.
Victim and community response
The woman who was hit was driving a passenger van for Rising Sun Centers and transporting five adults when the bullets flew, as first reported after the incident. None of the passengers were injured, and staff from nearby stores helped rush the group inside and shelter them until authorities arrived. Emergency crews took the driver to a local hospital, and she was later flown to University Hospitals' main campus for more intensive treatment. Witnesses and the center's leadership have tracked the court case closely while she continues her long recovery.
Legal next steps
Prosecutors have not disclosed details of any plea agreement. Court records show DeJesus was indicted after a grand jury review last year, and the case wound its way through Lorain County courts before today's plea, per Cleveland 19/WOIO. Major A.J. Torres said the woman "is currently not able to move her legs, but had movement in her toes" and urged drivers to step back rather than lash out on the road, telling reporters, "There's no reason you should try to take a life," as reported by News 5 Cleveland. Law enforcement officials are still asking anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators.
