T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Shawn Allar, right, points across the courtroom to Malcolm Alcindor Williams, who he identified as the same man shown in a video from surveillance cameras at the Pilot fuel stop in Cambridge, Ohio. Williams is charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting another truck driver, Michael Brundage, in his face on the side of Interstate 470 around 10:30 p.m. Jan. 30, 2024.

UPDATE

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A jury heard closing arguments then deliberated for about four hours today before returning a guilty verdict in the case of a man accused of shooting another in the face.

Malcolm Alcindor Williams of Alabama was convicted at about 2:30 p.m. of first-degree felony attempted murder with a firearm specification, discharge of a firearm near a prohibited premise and second-degree felony felonious assault with a firearm specification.

The charges stem from the shooting of truck driver Michael Brundage of Ellenboro, West Virginia, who was shot in his face on the side of Interstate 470 around 10:30 p.m. Jan. 30, 2024.

ORIGINAL REPORT

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Four members of law enforcement took the witness stand Thursday in the trial of Malcolm Alcindor Williams, which is expected to conclude today.

Williams is an over-the-road truck driver from Atmore, Alabama, who is charged with first-degree felony attempted murder with a firearm specification, discharge of a firearm near a prohibited premise and second-degree felony felonious assault with a firearm specification. His trial began Tuesday morning, and both the prosecution and the defense rested their cases Thursday. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. today, and the case will then go to the jury to decide.

Williams is accused of shooting another truck driver, Michael Brundage of Ellenboro, West Virginia, in his face on the side of Interstate 470 around 10:30 p.m. Jan. 30, 2024. The shooting occurred after Brundage stopped his truck and consulted with a mechanic by phone when the vehicle became disabled in the westbound lanes of the highway.

On Thursday, Andrew McClelland of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation testified, along with Dan Lubelan and Steve Arenet of the Michigan State Police. Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said the Michigan officers were called to the stand because Williams was arrested in Michigan, and they seized the firearm that is evidence in the case.

Shawn Allar, a plain clothes investigator with the Ohio State Highway Patrol also testified on Thursday. During his testimony, Flanagan showed surveillance video from the Pilot fuel station in Cambridge, Ohio, including a still that showed a Black man dressed mostly in black at the cash register. Allar said that man was Wiliams, and when asked if he was in the courtroom, Allar said he was and pointed to the defendant.

According to his testimony, the timing of the video that shows Williams in Cambridge corresponds with the estimated driving time from the scene of the crime to that fuel station.

In addition, the victim Brundage testified Tuesday and previously told investigators that he recalled seeing three bluish green letters on the bed of the truck driven by the gunman. Exterior surveillance video from the Cambridge Pilot location showed a truck driven by the man on the video displaying the letters “ego” on its trailer, identifying it as a Superego truck, which is the company that employs Williams.

During cross examination of Allar, defense attorney Bruce Clark asked about Brundage’s description of the gunman. He had told investigators the man was 5 feet 7-8 inches tall and weighed 200-210 pounds.

Allar confirmed for Clark that Wiliams’ driver’s license lists his height at 5 feet 8 inches and his weight at 167 pounds. He said there was a discrepancy of almost 50 pounds over his client’s actual weight. Allar said his estimate was closer to 33-43 pounds heavier than williams’ actual weight.

Allar also touched on the purchase of the firearm in question at a pawn shop and said he believes electronic logs of the trick driven by Williams place him at or near the scene of the crime at the time when the incident occurred.