Inset: Michael Ward (Allen County Sheriff's Office). Background: The area of Stophlet Street and College Street in Fort Wayne, Ind., where Michael Ward opened fire on his pregnant girlfriend (Google Maps).
The Indiana man who admitted to shooting at an Uber carrying his pregnant girlfriend after she tried to get away from him following an argument will spend the next several years behind bars.
As Law&Crime previously reported, Michael Ward told his girlfriend before the April 17 shooting, which occurred just before 8:55 a.m., that he was coming after her.
"I'm going to get my gun and cash out," he said, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The Journal Gazette. Police said that the statement amounted to a threat. He was ultimately charged with attempted murder and other gun offenses after he opened fire using an AR-style rifle on the Uber his girlfriend had called following their fight.
On Thursday, he was sentenced to six years behind bars.
He had accepted a plea deal last month under which his charges were downgraded to criminal recklessness.
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According to the Gazette, the maximum Ward could face under the plea agreement was six years.
"The defendant shot approximately three rounds toward the vehicle," the probable cause affidavit said about Ward's attack on his girlfriend. "The gunshots broke out the rear window and flattened the rear passenger-side tire. Three shell casings were recovered from the area at the time of the shooting."
Ward was accused of pointing his AR-style rifle at both his girlfriend and the Uber driver, who was in a Jeep Wrangler, before opening fire. Ward was sitting in a Buick LeSabre when the Uber pulled up and got out to retrieve his weapon before he started blasting, according to police.
Ward's girlfriend said she had been in a relationship with him for one year and that he was aware she was carrying a child. She was described in the affidavit as being afraid of Ward.
Court records indicate that Ward will receive credit for seven days of time served.
Chris Perez contributed to this report.
