Arizona Suspect Charged in Four Freeway Shootings

Charges were officially filed Wednesday against a man accused in a series of shootings along an Arizona freeway that put Phoenix-area drivers on edge, NBC News reported.

Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., 21, was charged with 16 felony counts, the Maricopa County Attorney said.

He is only accused in four of the shootings on I-10 that occurred between Aug. 27 and Aug. 30, although seven other cars and trucks were hit by either gunfire or projectiles over the next 12 days.

Merritt, of Glendale, was arrested on Friday. Police say a gun belonging to him but which was pawned has been matched to bullet fragments in the four shootings.

Merritt was charged Wednesday with three counts of drive by shooting, six counts of aggravated assault, three counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm, and three counts of disorderly conduct, and one count of endangerment, the county attorney said.

Merrit, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, has denied being involved. 

"My gun's been in the pawn shop for the last two months, I haven't even had access to a weapon," he said at a court apperance Saturday. 

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