Police in search of woman's killer

CENTRAL TOLEDO - A 40-year-old woman who was driving her car through Toledo's central city early Wednesday morning was shot and killed by an unknown gunman.

Detectives said the victim, identified as Erica Oliver, was just trying to get to the store when she was fatally shot.

The fatal shooting took place at around 1:15 a.m. on Dorr Street near Lawrence Avenue.

Police crews were initially responded to a car crash. A car had crashed into a telephone pole. At first, the incident appeared to be an injury accident, but upon further investigation, Ms. Oliver was found to have been shot and may have died before the crash occurred.

Detectives found Ms. Oliver behind the wheel of her car. She was shot in the chest. Detectives believe she was shot as she was driving away from her Norwood Avenue home in Central Toledo. She then most likely tried to drive herself to the hospital, but died before crashing her car into a telephone pole on Dorr Street, police believe.

"We had detectives knocking on doors all night," said Captain Ray Carroll of Toledo police. "Once we realized it was a homicide we sent other detectives out to canvas the neighborhood. All we got was some people that heard a couple shots go off earlier."

Investigators have no solid leads or witnesses that can point them to the killer.

Ms. Oliver was a mother of two children. Her cousin told FOX Toledo News that the family believes Erica might have seen something she shouldn't have as she was getting into her car early Tuesday morning and then was killed.

Family members said the neighborhood has become a dangerous place to live.

If you have any information that could assist police, you are asked to call Crimestopper at (419) 255-1111. You can remain anonymous.

The death of Ms. Oliver is Toledo's 30th homicide of 2009, 10 more reported homicides than in 2008.

The cause of the fatal shooting and accident remains under investigation.