Man to stand trial for attempted murder in Overland Park road rage shooting

Editor’s note: A Johnson County jury found Jonathan K. Cullen Jr. not guilty on both counts of attempted second-degree murder and discharge of a firearm into an occupied motor vehicle, according to Johnson County District Court documents. His case and arrest record has since been expunged, according to Cullen and his attorney, Zach Thomas. A spokeswoman for the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office said they were unable to comment about the case.

A judge on Tuesday ruled there was sufficient evidence to try a man for attempted murder in an Overland Park shooting.

Jonathan Keith Cullen Jr., 34, of Kansas City, is charged in Johnson County District Court with attempted second-degree murder and discharge of a firearm into an occupied motor vehicle.

After a preliminary hearing Tuesday, a judge found probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.

An attorney then entered not guilty pleas on Cullen’s behalf.

The shooting occurred in November in the area of 133rd Street and Antioch Road.

Cullen told police that he only fired in self-defense after another motorist confronted and threatened to kill Cullen, according to court documents.

But a witness told police that the victim’s car was stopped at a light when another car pulled up to next to it and several shots were fired.

The victim survived the shooting.

Cullen, who worked as a para-educator for the Blue Valley and Olathe school districts, is free on bond pending his next court appearance on March 14. A trail date could be set at that time.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Man to stand trial for attempted murder in Overland Park road rage shooting."