Man pleads not guilty in Columbus carjacking where man was shot

A 20-year-old allegedly involved in a Nov. 19 carjacking in the area of Hamilton Road where a man was shot in the hand appeared in Columbus Recorder’s Court Friday morning to face charges related to the incident.

William Bernard Harris, the accused, pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault, hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was ordered held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail.

Judge Michael Joyner bound the case over to Superior Court.

Columbus Police Detective Jospeh Hart said the victim, who was driving a 2005 Toyota Avalon, was stopped at the intersection of Hamilton Road and 33rd Street when he was approached by four individuals. One of the men opened the door and pulled him out of the vehicle while holding him at gunpoint, according to police.

“He threw him on the ground and shot him in the left hand,” Hart testified. “The individuals took his cellular phone, his wallet and his vehicle.”

Hart said the victim was treated at Columbus Midtown Medical Center and released. He doesn’t have any permanent damage to his hand, authorities confirmed.

Police said a juvenile informant led them to a social media profile of an individual who spoke with three others about stealing a vehicle before the incident. After the carjacking, Harris and another unidentified suspect were seen in the stolen 2005 Toyota Avalon at Wilson Apartments on Eighth Avenue, Hart told the court.

Officials identified Harris as the user of that profile and a suspect in the crime. The stolen vehicle was discovered abandoned a week later, according to police.

Warrants were issued for Harris and he was arrested by the Columbus Police Department’s Fugitive Unit on Wednesday. He was interviewed on camera at police headquarters.

“At that time, he admitted to being a present at the time of the incident but not being a part of the shooting,” Hart told the court.

Represented by Columbus Public Defender Charles Lykins, Harris didn’t testify in court.

No other suspects have been identified.

This story was originally published January 20, 2017 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Man pleads not guilty in Columbus carjacking where man was shot."