YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — One of two men secretly indicted last month on charges of shooting at two undercover police officers was arraigned Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Judge Anthony D’Apolito set bond at $200,000 for Marquise Hornbuckle, 25, of Youngstown, who faces two counts of first-degree felonious assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, obstructing justice and three separate firearms specifications.
Hornbuckle pleaded not guilty. Court records do not list a trial date.
Hornbuckle and another man who has yet to be named were secretly indicted on charges of shooting at two undercover troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol Nov. 8 at West Warren Avenue and Summer Street.
The troopers were traveling west on West Warren Avenue when two people in a vehicle going in the opposite direction fired several shots at them. They were not injured.
The troopers were in town to help city police with an investigation into stolen vehicles.
The felonious assault charge is upgraded to a first-degree felony because the victims are troopers. Hornbuckle and his co-defendant also face the standard three-year firearm specification: a five-year specification for firing a gun from a car; and a seven-year specification for shooting at a police officer.
Hornbuckle was arrested by U.S. Marshals shortly after he was indicted.
The identity of the other person will be released when he is arrested.
Assistant Prosecutor Mike Yacovone said investigators were able to determine who the suspects in the case were because they used a rental car and left a trail of paperwork.
It is not yet clear why the car carrying the troopers was targeted, but authorities said at the time there was no way to tell the troopers were investigators.