Phillips indicted on four felony counts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A Middle Point man accused of shooting another man in cold blood at a local apartment complex was indicted on four felony counts Friday, the result of a special session of the Van Wert County Grand Jury.

Chad D. Phillips, 31, was indicted on one count of aggravated murder, an unspecified felony (no degree of felony is given), in the murder of Christopher D. McMillen, 24, of Van Wert. Aggravated murder indicates the person alleged to have committed the offense did so on purpose and with premeditation.

The other three counts include attempted murder and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felony offenses, and felonious assault, a felony of the second degree. The burglary and felonious assault charges also each carry a further specification noting that a firearm was used in commission of the offenses.

If Phillips is convicted of those charges, the firearms specifications would each result in a mandatory three-year sentence being tacked onto the top of any other sentences received.

A Van Wert Police Department report released early this week gives credence to speculation that McMillen knew Phillips was “out to get” him, although he didn’t apparently realize how serious the threat would be. McMillen filed a report at 12:12 p.m. May 12 stating that he and his brother had heard third-hand information that Phillips was threatening to beat up McMillen.

After the report was filed, police officers contacted Phillips and warned him to stay away from McMillen and his family.

Instead, Phillips allegedly broke into an apartment where McMillen was at about 9 that same evening and reportedly shot the younger man three times in front of Phillips’ own child and former girlfriend, who lived in the apartment.

Although wounded badly, sources close to the case said McMillen was able to make it to the apartment’s bathroom and lock the door when Phillips ran out of ammunition. However, Phillips reportedly reloaded his weapon and then fired into the bathroom through the door, further wounding McMillen.

After the shooting, Phillips fled the apartment and was arrested without incident later  at a Middle Point residence by deputies from the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department.

Police and Van Wert Fire Department EMS personnel were called to Fox Run Apartments following the shooting and McMillen was later taken to Van Wert County Hospital for further treatment. From there, he was life-flighted to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., where he died early the next morning.

Phillips is currently incarcerated in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility on a $1 million bond set during his initial appearance in Van Wert Municipal Court on May 13. The Middle Point man will likely be arraigned in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court sometime this coming week on the four-count indictment.