Accused drive-by shooter to stand trial

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 22, 2016

LaGRANGE — The trial of a 26-year-old man accused of wounding another man during a drive-by shooting was expected to start Wednesday morning in a Troup County Superior courtroom.

Demetrius Ladarius Harden, of LaGrange, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.

Harden was one of three people inside a vehicle who shot at a home in the 300 block of Wilkes Street in the early morning hours of May 1, 2015, stated LaGrange police.

One of the bullets traveled through the walls of the house and hit T’Quarius Holloway, 20, in the stomach, said LPD investigators. Holloway was airlifted to an Atlanta hospital and recovered.

Two other people in the home at the time of the shooting were not injured, police said.

A Troup County deputy found the vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting “within minutes of the call,” an LPD press release stated. Two of the vehicles’ occupants fled, but Harden was captured at the scene and arrested.

This is not the first time Harden has been arrested in connection with gun violence.

In October 2007, when Harden was 17 years old, LaGrange police charged him and his cousin, Coby Harden, 18, each with two counts of aggravated assault.

The teens were accused of firing between one and three shots at a 29-year-old man and a 16 year old sitting on the front porch of their apartment in the Lucy Morgan Homes, said LaGrange police. No one was hit.

Information was unavailable as of press time if Demetrius Harden was ever convicted or pleaded guilty to that crime.

The May shooting incident was also not the first — or the last — time the Harden cousins would meet up with the victim, T’Quarius Holloway.

Coby Harden, 26, is accused of shooting and killing Holloway in the first block of Spring Street on March 4, 2016, less than five hours after he was released from the Troup County Jail on another aggravated assault charge. Holloway was shot multiple times and died the next day at an Atlanta hospital.

The trial is expected to begin with opening arguments at 9 a.m.

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By Melanie Ruberti

mruberti@civitasmedia.com

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter with LaGrange Daily News. She may be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.