Florida Road Rage
A Florida man is facing multiple felony charges after he lost his cool and fired a handgun into another vehicle. He’d previously been driving slowly, and the victim had honked a couple of times, prompting Duarte to send two bullets into the victim’s vehicle, narrowly missing one passenger’s head. It’s another serious incident of road rage that causes concern for motorists and highway patrol alike.
Rising Incidents
Unfortunately, incidents of road rage seem to be on the increase. In Martin County they’ve already had 63 calls reporting such confrontations. That compares to a total of 64 in all of 2024. These events can be terrifying and dangerous. Some recent examples of irrational outbursts on Florida roadways include:
- An angry driver who’d had difficulty passing another vehicle shot at the car, hitting the passenger in the head on I-595 in Davie;
- A Tampa driver followed another motorist into a gas station and shot into the car’s backseat, causing injury to a toddler who was there;
- An Orlando driver confessed to shooting six bullets and killing another driver who was on his way to work and didn’t move at a red light;
- When two drivers met in an Osceola County parking lot to settle their differences on the road, one pulled out a knife and slashed the other. The victim happened to be an off duty deputy, and held the aggressor at gunpoint until police arrived and arrested him.
A Serious Problem
With drivers getting more impatient across the country, road rage is becoming an epidemic, with an injury or death occurring every 18 hours somewhere in the country as a result of lost tempers. Everytown Research ranks Florida as one of the most dangerous states in the nation when it comes to road rage shootings.
What Constitutes Road Rage?
Road rage can include everything from speeding recklessly to aggressively honking one’s horn, tailgating, uncivilized gestures and yelling, cutting other drivers off, and blocking other drivers. In the worst case scenarios, drivers have been known to ram into other vehicles, force cars off the road, and shoot at other motorists.
Responding to Road Rage
When encountering aggressive drivers, the last thing you want to do is further inflame them. Suggestions include:
- Allowing them to pass as soon as possible;
- Avoiding eye contact;
- Calling 911 and reporting the incident along with the license plate number if possible;
- Avoid going home, instead heading to a police station, or, if there isn’t one nearby, going to a crowded public place.
The Aftermath
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a road rage incident, nothing can erase the physical and emotional suffering you’ve had to endure. But the dedicated Kissimmee personal injury attorneys at Salazar & Kelly Law Group can fight to collect maximum damages to address your financial losses, as well as exigent costs related to the incident. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our Kissimmee office today.
Source:
news-journalonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/01/27/florida-man-arrested-in-downtown-road-rage-shooting/77968635007/
