A 20-year-old man was sentenced to several years in prison after pleading guilty to shooting and injuring a Donatos employee in Clintonville last year.
On April 13, 2025, officers from the Columbus Division of Police responded to a shooting at the Donatos on the junction of North High Street and West Orchard Lane.
Columbus police said the incident occurred after the employee approached a suspect who had broken into their vehicle. The suspect was later identified as Nelzear Conley.
Following the argument, Columbus police claimed Conley rushed into a white SUV and drove away. As the SUV drove away, a shot was fired from the car, striking the employee. In the days following the shooting, Columbus police published a photo of the suspect.
According to court records, Conley admitted to being the individual featured in the Columbus police media release but denied being the shooter. He claimed he approached the employee while in the victim’s car.
According to court documents, Conley stated that the shooter told him he was going to shoot the employee. Conley also stated that he moved out of the way to allow the shooter a clear shot.
On March 2, Conley pled guilty to one count of felonious assault with a firearm specification. The judge sentenced him to five years in prison. Conley has 311 days of jail time to his credit.
The punishment includes 18 months to three years of obligatory post-release supervision.
No other arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Leave a Reply