A man charged in a bizarre three-day crime spree that injured at least two men last year has been indicted on 30 charges.
A Fulton County grand jury handed down the indictment Friday, formally charging 22-year-old Gaelen Newsom with a slew of offenses related to the violent weekend in June 2021.
Newsom is accused of shooting at a driver in Roswell, opening fire on complete strangers during their morning jog in Buckhead, and then running over a man as he took out the trash, crushing his legs.
Newsom faces 11 counts of aggravated assault as well as multiple weapons and traffic charges, according to Friday’s indictment. The Atlanta man is also charged with aggravated battery, committing terroristic acts and serious injury by vehicle.
According to the indictment, Newsom’s crime spree began June 3 when he allegedly fired multiple shots at a man. The next day, he is accused of opening fire on a random driver in Roswell, shattering the window of the man’s van.
Then on June 5, Newsom is accused of shooting at three people who were out for some Saturday morning exercise in Buckhead, striking one man twice.
Andrew Worrell was walking near the 1200 block of West Wesley Road about 8:30 a.m. when a driver, later identified as Newsom, drove by and fired from his sedan, authorities said. Worrell was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and later released.
“It seems like some sort of miracle that it didn’t do any major damage,” his wife later told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We feel very grateful.”
Credit: Family photo
Credit: Family photo
About three hours after that shooting, a man was severely injured after being struck by Newsom’s car at an apartment complex along Noble Creek Drive, police said. Authorities believe Newsom intentionally rammed Jackson Speidel as he walked through the complex, pinning him between two vehicles and “depriving him” of both legs, according to the indictment.
Police said Speidel had been hit while taking out the trash. Officers detained Newsom at the scene and realized his silver Kia Forte matched the description of the car used in that morning’s shootings.
Officers found multiple shell casings inside the car and determined he was likely responsible for that morning’s drive-by shootings, Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said at the scene.
Newsom remains held at the Fulton County Jail, where he’s been since his arrest.
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