ISP: Indianapolis man arrested and charged with attempted murder after shooting on I-70 in Morgan County

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana State Police have arrested an Indianapolis man for his alleged role in a shooting on Interstate 70 in Morgan County.

According to a press release, 18-year-old Dean A. Watson was taken into custody Monday afternoon. He was subsequently booked into the Morgan County Jail, where he is tentatively charged with attempted murder.

Police first became aware of Watson’s activities last week when they were notified of a shooting on westbound I-70, just west of State Road 39. ISP said that during their investigation, they noticed a vehicle that “exhibited damage consistent with gunfire.”

Police ultimately concluded that the victim was driving the vehicle during the shooting. ISP reported that the victim was the only person in the car when he was struck by gunfire. The victim did not sustain any injuries in the incident.

Following the shooting, investigators quickly identified both the suspect and his vehicle. ISP reported that investigators subsequently executed a series of arrest warrants, each of which provided additional clues in the case.

Police placed Watson’s vehicle under surveillance and observed him driving from an Indianapolis residence to a gas station. When the vehicle reached the gas station, police took Watson into custody.

ISP said officers found a loaded handgun during a search of Watson. On Tuesday, police executed a search warrant on the vehicle Watson was driving at the time of his arrest. While searching the vehicle, investigators found another firearm, ammunition and a large number of vape pen cartridges.

At the time of this article’s publication, Watson’s booking photo had not been released. No further information about the shooting was provided.