Gage Woods (©Stark County Sheriff Office)

Gage L. Woods, 21, of Waynesburg, Stark County, Ohio, United States was arrested by Stark County Sheriff’s deputies on February 9, 2021. He was charged with one count of felonious assault.

On February 8, 2021, Stark County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a shooting in Paris Township, Stark County. One victim, a juvenile, suffered from multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Woods is accused of being involved in the shooting. He was booked into the Stark County Jail in Canton, Stark County.

This was not the first time Woods was booked into the Stark County Jail. He was booked there after being arrested in a mobile home in Malvern, Carroll County, Ohio on October 26, 2018, Akron Beacon Journal reported.

Woods was accused of fatally shooting his fellow Waynesburg resident Jerry R. Hendershott Jr. in the chest at around 10:00 p.m. on October 25, 2018 in Sandy Township. The victim was 32 years old at the time.

According to witnesses, Woods refused to return another man’s money and glasses. Hendershott went to help the latter in retrieving his property.

Prior to this, Woods was accused of giving false statements to deputies who were investigating a case of felonious assault on March 21, 2018. An obstruction warrant was issued for his arrest on May 17, 2018.

After being arrested on October 26, 2018, Woods was charged with obstructing official business and murder. He was held without bond.

In January 2019, a grand jury in Stark County declined to indict Woods for the shooting death of Hendershott. A new legal provision that took effect in March 2019 shifted the burden to prosecutors to show the accused did not use a firearm in self-defense.

Represented by Jeff Jakmides, Woods was released from Stark County Jail. According to the lawyer, Hendershott tried to force his way into Woods’ home on October 25, 2018 and his client acted in self defense.

“The individual was making threats and was forcing entry and Mr. Woods exercised his right to defend his residence and himself and shot him,” The Columbus Dispatch quoted Jakmides as saying. “I can’t recall a no bill on a murder charge. I think every murder charge I’ve had went to trial.”