Man shot terrified for his life

Fowler victim testifies in trial of Lake County resident for assault, aggravated robbery

WARREN -- As the trial of an Eastlake man got underway in Trumbull County Common Pleas court, a Fowler man shot Oct. 7, 2020, in the driveway of his home testified Monday about his thoughts after being hit.

"I knew for a fact I was gonna die," gunshot victim William Blake told a jury. "I had lost a lot of blood."

Blake was one of four people testifying for the prosecution as William Gambino, 47, faces charges of felonious assault, aggravated robbery and having weapons under restrictions.

The trial in Judge Ronald J. Rice's courtroom is expected to continue today with one more prosecution witness going to the stand.

Blake testified about his relationship with Gambino, with whom he had reconnected after a long absence. He said Gambino had moved into his home during the spring and stayed there five or six months.

"Then stuff started to be missing from the house. I knew he was stealing," Blake said of Gambino.

Gambino had to leave, Blake testified, because he began acting delusional, thinking that somebody was after him.

After leaving, Blake said he suspected Gambino of showing up at his home whenever he was not there.

"I saw tire tracks in the drive," he said.

On Oct. 7, 2020, Blake arrived home from work to find Gambino sitting in a Toyota parked in his Youngstown Kingsville Road driveway.

"He asked me for money, and when I told him that wasn't going to happen and to leave, he started shooting at me," Blake testified.

After hitting Blake in the face and neck with a couple of pellet shots, Gambino pulled out a .22-caliber gun and shot Blake in the arm, the hip and the side, according to assistant Prosecutor Michael Burnett.

"One of the pellets is still lodged in my neck," Blake said as he pointed out his injuries to jurors.

After the shooting, Gambino started chasing Blake around the yard. Before leaving the scene, Gambino went into Blake's van, taking his cellphone, keys and wallet, Burnett said.

"I tried to get away from him," Blake said. "He kept calling me a child rapist. I think he stopped because he ran out of bullets."

Under cross examination by defense attorney Michael Partlow, sheriff's detective Jolene Marcello admitted Blake was investigated for alleged sexual misconduct, but charges were not filed. Marcello said the allegations were instigated by Gambino.

Marcello also testified to investigating the shooting scene, which included finding several weapons in the yard, blood droplets in several places and a dead pig in the backyard. Marcello also testified to seeing marijuana plants in an upper bedroom. The finding triggered a search warrant by members of the Trumbull Action Group drug task force, Marcello said. Blake testified the marijuana plants were grown by Gambino, who had agreed to share profits with him.

Also testifying was sheriff's deputy Dennis Garito, who told jurors he arrested Gambino at a Mecca store where his gray Toyota was parked at the gas pumps. Garito said he had earlier received a dispatch about the shooting and saw the Toyota on Phillips Rice Road as he was answering the call. Garito said he turned around and followed the Toyota to the store on Mecca Circle.

Firefighter / paramedic William Bower testified to treating Blake at the scene after Blake had gone across the street to get a neighbor to call 911. During the transport to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, Bower said Blake started to go into shock and had to be intubated.

Blake testified he has had seven surgeries and has not recovered fully from his wounds.

"I haven't been back to work since Oct. 6, and the doctors won't let me go back even though I want to," Blake told jurors.