Pubdate: Wed, 27 Sep 2000
Source: Blade, The (OH)
Copyright: 2000 The Blade
Contact:  541 North Superior St., Toledo OH 43660
Website: http://www.toledoblade.com/
Author: KIM BATES

DRUG DEFENDANT HELD IN HIT-MAN SHOOTING

FREMONT - Faced with felony drug charges, Christy Claussen tried to solve 
them by hiring a hit man, authorities say.

One day before her trial was scheduled to begin, Sandusky County sheriff's 
deputies said she arranged the shooting of one of the witnesses who was 
expected to testify against her.

But that witness, Jarrod Skinner, survived Monday's shooting. Now he's 
expected to testify against Ms. Clausssen again - this time for attempted 
murder.

Sandusky County Sheriff David Gangwer said Ms. Claussen, 40, of Gibsonburg, 
was charged with one count of complicity to attempted murder for allegedly 
hiring Tyrias Johnson, 25, of Fremont, to shoot Skinner.

"It was a possession case in Ottawa County and now it's escalated a bit," 
said Dave Boldt, an Ottawa County assistant prosecutor who's handling Ms. 
Claussen's case. "We had no idea that someone would do this. This is just 
something that doesn't normally happen."

Skinner, 33, of Oak Harbor, was listed in serious condition yesterday at 
St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Toledo. He was shot in the shoulder and 
face, authorities said.

Ms. Claussen was held in lieu of $500,000 bond in the Sandusky County jail 
after a video arraignment in Fremont Municipal Court. No other court dates 
were set.

Sheriff Gangwer said a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Mr. 
Johnson, who remained at large last night.

Two other men, James Miller, 46, and Norman Runion, 47, both of Gibsonburg, 
were being held at the county jail on charges of obstruction of justice for 
allegedly aiding Ms. Claussen in the shooting. They will be arraigned today 
in Sandusky County Court, Woodville.

The incident occurred about 1 p.m. Monday when Ms. Claussen allegedly asked 
Skinner to follow her to a Ballville Township farmhouse on Baker Road, just 
south of Fremont. The two know each other, Sheriff Gangwer said.

"They ran into each other downtown. She asked him to follow her," the 
sheriff said. "We can only speculate what was said."

When he exited his vehicle, Skinner was shot several times. He then 
attempted to drive himself to Memorial Hospital but was stopped on South 
Tiffin Road by Fremont police Chief Monte Huss, who noticed a vehicle 
swerving in the roadway.

Skinner was transported to the hospital, and authorities immediately began 
looking for suspects. The sheriff said his detectives interviewed Skinner 
about the shooting.

Mr. Boldt said Ms. Claussen was scheduled to go on trial yesterday morning 
in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court on one count of possession of crack 
over 10 grams and one count of possession of cocaine over 100 grams, both 
second-degree felonies. The charges stem from a police search at Ms. 
Claussen's former Williston home Feb. 5, 1999. The case was delayed because 
Ms. Claussen changed her plea several times. She originally had planned to 
plead guilty to two third-degree felonies, but she changed her mind on the 
day of sentencing.

Skinner was one of about six witnesses in the Claussen case. Mr. Boldt said 
others included members of local law enforcement agencies.

Mr. Boldt would not say whether Skinner was considered to be a lead witness 
or if he was working as a drug informant for the county.

After Mr. Boldt learned Skinner had been shot, he asked Judge Paul Moon for 
a continuance in Ms. Claussen's drug case. The trial was rescheduled for 
Oct. 31.

Skinner is facing a criminal charge of his own in Ottawa County Common 
Pleas Court. He has pleaded not guilty to possession of a weapon under 
disability and is scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 9.He was sentenced in 
March, 1989, to spend 18 months in prison and pay a $1,000 fine for drug 
trafficking.

Drug charges against Mr. Johnson are pending in the nearby Sandusky County 
Common Pleas Court. He was charged in July with three varying counts of 
trafficking in cocaine for incidents in April and May of this year.

Mr. Johnson, who was one of more than 50 people arrested following a drug 
sweep in Fremont and Clyde, was free on a personal recognizance bond after 
pleading not guilty to the charges. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for 
Nov. 3, with a trial planned for Nov. 13.
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