Three shot after drug deals go bad
By Jeff Henson

The drug dealer had gold teeth and packed a piece. He led his customers to believe a deal would be completed, then he demanded their money. And he shot them.
 
A Huntington man has been arrested on charges of malicious wounding, wanton endangerment and three counts of armed robbery in the first degree after he shot a Flatwoods, Ky. woman in the leg in the 1600 block of Eighth Avenue about 2 a.m. Wednesday.
 
The shooting happened after two similar incidents in which two people were shot after drug deals with a man with gold teeth fell through. In both of those incidents, the drug dealer demanded money, then fired away, according to Huntington Police Department reports Wednesday morning.
 
A Dublin, Ga. man was shot in the pinky of his right hand. A Louisa, Ky. man was shot in the left leg and upper arm.
 
The man with gold teeth who was arrested is Phillip G. Johnson, 18, of 111 S. Walnut St. After he shot the Flatwoods woman and was nailed by police, they found 4.7 grams of marijuana, $739 in cash and a .45-caliber handgun.
 
The drugs and violence started 7:50 p.m. Tuesday in the 900 block of Hal Greer Boulevard. The man from Georgia picked up a man they didn't know who had gold teeth and corn rows. They agreed to buy a quarter pound of marijuana from him.
 
The men drove around the Fairfield area and possibly the Southeast Hills region of The City. The dealer sat in the front seat and gave directions. The man gave the dealer $185 and the dealer showed the marijuana. But he wouldn't let them have it.
 
The driver stopped, backing into a small alley or side street. The dealer got out after he was asked to. A metallic click was heard. The dealer went up to the passenger side and started screaming at the dude to give him all his money. The dude gave him his wallet. The dealer fired a black semi-automatic, larger than a 9mm.
 
The dude wound up at University Fire Station #2, 534 20th St., for medical help. The Cabell County Emergency Medical Service took him to Cabell Huntington Hospital.
 
Around 10:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Artisan Avenue, the Louisa man was driving with a relative when they picked up a man with gold teeth. The three men drove around until the dealer got a call on his cell phone. They stopped in the 1500 block of 11th Avenue.
 
The dealer got out and pulled out a large automatic handgun. He demanded money. When the man went to give the dealer his wallet, the dealer shot him in the left leg. He drove off. The dealer fired again, hitting the man in the upper arm. He went to Cabell Huntington Hospital.
 
Finally, at around 1:55 a.m. Wednesday in the 1600 block of Eighth Avenue, a dealer with gold teeth came up to the Flatwoods woman and tried to complete a deal. The dealer pointed a dark semi-automatic handgun at her and demanded money. He shot 5 times, hitting the woman in the left leg. She went to Cabell Huntington Hospital.
 
After that shooting, police saw the suspect walk into the back of the Eighth Avenue Club. They walked up to him and he took off out the back door. But they got him.