A man wanted in a double shooting that injured an Uber driver and a female acquaintance last month was out of jail on bond on a murder charge at the time, Fulton County jail records show.
Tavoris “Money” Ferrell, 30, was identified Friday as a suspect in the July 28 attack that left a woman shot in the face and an Uber driver shot in the abdomen.
According to police, Ferrell entered the woman’s car at a convenience store on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. The woman was found in a yard on Oakmont Drive with a gunshot wound to her face.
Police said Ferrell left the scene and began shooting at an Uber driver who had a fare. The passenger had minor injuries from fragments of glass, and the Uber driver suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Ferrell, who faces aggravated battery charges in the double shooting, has been charged in the past with other serious crimes, including a June 15, 2015 crash that killed a friend.
According to that arrest warrant, Ferrell took cocaine before getting in a car, driving between speeds of 100 and 120 mph and coming to a sudden stop. Friend John Dawson was inside the car at the time.
“When (Dawson) attempted to get out of the stopped vehicle, (Ferrell) suddenly accelerated, causing the victim to fall to the roadway,” according to the warrant.
Dawson’s head hit the road as he flew out of the car. He died days later. Police said Ferrell left the scene after the incident.
Ferrell was booked on charges of murder, three counts of vehicular homicide, DUI, hit-and-run, aggravated assault and reckless driving in August 2015. He was released more than a year later in October 2016 after making an 80,000 bond, according to court records.
In January, Atlanta police arrested Ferrell on a misdemeanor theft charge. He was booked into the Fulton County jail but again bonded out days later.
Authorities have not said why Ferrell was granted bond in the murder case or in the theft, but District Attorney Paul Howard said in a statement to Channel 2 Action News that he reviewed the transcript of the bond and he agreed “with the judge and my assistant who handled the matter that such bond was justified.”
Atlanta police are still searching for Ferrell who is described as 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact Atlanta police. Tipsters can also remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting crimestoppersatlanta.org.
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