By Carrie Spencer
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - Attorneys for a man charged in half of the 24 highway shootings that terrorized central Ohio drivers for months say they're not surprised prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the only slaying.

Charles A. McCoy Jr., 28, also was indicted by a grand jury Thursday with numerous other offenses, including attempted murder, assault and vandalism.

He faces both murder and aggravated murder charges in the case of the only person hit. Gail Knisley, 62, of Washington Court House, was shot Nov. 25 on Interstate 270 while riding with a friend taking her to a doctor's appointment and shopping trip.

McCoy also was charged with attempted murder and felonious assault on the driver, Mary Cox.

The aggravated murder charge says the offense was committed "as part of a course of conduct involving the purposeful killing of or attempt to kill two or more persons."

McCoy's attorneys say there are differing legal interpretations on how much time can pass between separate incidents to establish that pattern.

"It's always a difficult case to both prosecute and defend," defense attorney Mark Collins said Thursday.

The sporadic gunfire began in May. The charges cover incidents starting with a shooting at a tractor-trailer on the city's outerbelt Oct. 19, and ended with gunshots at a sport utility vehicle on another freeway Feb. 14.

McCoy was arrested March 17 in Las Vegas.

McCoy lives with his mother a half-mile north of the stretch of Interstate 270 where the shootings were concentrated.

He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia several years ago, attorney Andrew Haney said Thursday. Another of his three attorneys has said McCoy's mental health could become a part of the case, but Haney said Thursday it was too early to say how.