Car shot in road rage Frustrated motorist shoots at car that cut him off

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Car shot in road rage

Frustrated motorist shoots at car that cut him off.
Frank Hammon
WFLS News

Date published: 1/6/2004

A victim of road rage is probably lucky that the other driver took out his frustration on only the victim's car and not him.

Prince William Police say that the incident at 1:30 pm Monday occurred on Oakwood Drive after the 26-year-old victim had cut off another motorist to make a left turn.

The victim got out of car when the second motorist pulled up and yelled at him.

The suspect then pulled out a gun, turned and fired several shots into the victim's car.

The white man then got in his white four-door sedan and left.

Original Article Found Here: http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/012004/01062004/1073435745

Road rage attacker avoids jail
Glasgow Evening Times, UK

A ROAD rage thug who smashed the windscreen of a terrified driver's car with a metal bar in broad daylight has escaped jail.

Burly Douglas Bruce, 32, chased victim, John Graham, for five miles along busy roads, zig-zagging through traffic in hot pursuit.

Bruce followed Mr Graham as they drove through East Kilbride in August 2002, at one stage catching up with his car and smashing the driver's window with his bare fist.

But when a terror-stricken Mr Graham escaped and pulled over to call 999 for help, he could only cower in his car as Bruce attacked his vehicle again, this time with a metal bar.

Bruce, an unemployed father-of-one from East Kilbride, claimed Mr Graham had earlier cut in front of his red Volvo.
But at Hamilton Sheriff Court, Bruce's lawyer Jack Grant, admitted he "lost the plot".

He was sentenced to 260 hours community service, banned from driving for two years and told to resist his test.

Bruce had earlier pled guilty to three charges of dangerous driving, assaulting Mr Graham and smashing his car windscreen, and hitting the car with a baton. A ROAD rage thug who smashed the windscreen of a terrified driver's car with a metal bar in broad daylight has escaped jail.

Burly Douglas Bruce, 32, chased victim, John Graham, for five miles along busy roads, zig-zagging through traffic in hot pursuit.

Bruce followed Mr Graham as they drove through East Kilbride in August 2002, at one stage catching up with his car and smashing the driver's window with his bare fist.

But when a terror-stricken Mr Graham escaped and pulled over to call 999 for help, he could only cower in his car as Bruce attacked his vehicle again, this time with a metal bar.

He was sentenced to 260 hours community service, banned from driving for two years and told to resit his test.
Bruce had earlier pled guilty to three charges of dangerous driving, assaulting Mr Graham and smashing his car windscreen, and hitting the car with a baton. A ROAD rage thug who smashed the windscreen of a terrified driver's car with a metal bar in broad daylight has escaped jail.

Burly Douglas Bruce, 32, chased victim, John Graham, for five miles along busy roads, zig-zagging through traffic in hot pursuit.

Bruce followed Mr Graham as they drove through East Kilbride in August 2002, at one stage catching up with his car and smashing the driver's window with his bare fist.

But when a terror-stricken Mr Graham escaped and pulled over to call 999 for help, he could only cower in his car as Bruce attacked his vehicle again, this time with a metal bar.

He was sentenced to 260 hours community service, banned from driving for two years and told to resist his test.
Bruce had earlier pled guilty to three charges of dangerous driving, assaulting Mr Graham and smashing his car windscreen, and hitting the car with a baton.

Foo Fighters Cause Road Rage
Foos Cause Traffic Boos
By Dean Cameron

BURBANK, CA Tuesday 1.6.2004 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- After closing Highway 18 outside of Victorville, California (that's where Snoopy's brother, Spike, lived!) for a Foo Fighters video shoot, drivers became quite irate.

The band was actually shooting on Rainbow Bridge, an unused steel-arch bridge running parallel to Highway 18 but deputies decided that it would be a good idea to close the Highway to make way for the filming.

Dave Grohl was recently voted "best guitarist" by the readers of Guitar World magazine. More on Foo Fighters

Sheriff's Department Calls for Law Against Road Rage
By Jerry Burke

The accident that killed four people on Highway 41 on Christmas Eve has the Fond du Lac Sheriff's Department saying it's time to pass a law to deal with road rage. As Action 2 News reported Wednesday, investigators say two southbound drivers were engaged in what became a deadly game of cat-and-mouse at speeds exceeding 90 miles an hour. One of those cars went across the median, killing the driver's mother and sister as well as a Waukesha couple in an oncoming car.

Investigators stopped short Wednesday of saying road rage caused that crash -- but they say that's because those two words are missing from state law.

"It's road rage, but there's really no statute for us to say here it is, it's road rage and we're going to charge you with that," Chief Deputy Mick Fink explained. Instead, they called the causes of the crash reckless driving and excessive speed.

Police say a law that defines and makes road rage a criminal act is needed to handle today's increasingly aggressive drivers. Fond du Lac County investigators say last month's crash is all the proof that's needed.

"I guess what I'm saying out there on 41 is, if those certain set of circumstances wouldn't have happened, there's a high likelihood this crash wouldn't have occurred," said Fink.

Right now, police can only issue tickets for reckless driving in most road rage cases.

"If there was a law on the books for road rage it would probably, for lack of a better word, ratchet up what they had done. Road rage would probably be a more severe crime and a more severe penalty than what reckless driving is," Fink said.

State representative Dean Kaufert said, "Based upon what we've learned in the last 24 hours, it sure has gotten the attention of numerous legislators."

Kaufert, a Neenah Republican, agrees that the North Fond du Lac crash shows police need a law that deals specifically with road rage.

"They can look and say, you know what, this has risen to the level that this person needs to be charged with a very serious crime and not one of reckless driving where it's simply six points and $200," said Rep. Kaufert.

Arizona, Delaware, Nevada and Rhode Island have laws that make road rage a crime. Numerous Wisconsin lawmakers say they will introduce such a bill soon.

Lawmakers Put Road Rage Issue in the Fast Lane
By Jerry Burke

Progress is being made to have a state law criminalizing road rage, but it appears a new law won't be needed.

The issue came to a head after a crash on Christmas Eve killed four people in Fond du Lac County. Excessive speed and aggressive driving are blamed for the crash.

State lawmakers are telling police that road rage can be better dealt with by adding teeth to existing law.

At a meeting in Fond du Lac on Friday morning involving lawmakers and police agencies, it was decided not to seek a specific law dealing with road rage. Instead, the Fond du Lac County sheriff is now asking that the current reckless driving law have an enhancer added to it.

"When that occurs, I believe the enhancer could be stepped up to a criminal activity, be it a misdemenor rather than a traffic offense," Sheriff Gary Pucker said.

That's an idea the Wisconsin State Patrol tends to agrees with. "That statute may need to be studied, may need to be expanded somewhat, may need to be tweaked a little bit to make it a little more friendly for officers to use when citing people engaged in this type of aggressive unsafe driving behavior," said Trooper Dave Pichette.

One lawmaker says current law is ripe for change. "I think we need to do something. There's question about it because the problem is not going to go away," said Representative John Townsend, a Fond du Lac Republican.

A proposal to change the law will be made within a month.

The sheriff and state patrol said if nothing else, the days of letting some drivers off are over, especially if someone is driving aggressively. As of today, both agencies say Fond du Lac County is a zero-tolerence zone for unsafe drivers.

Friday's EuroFile: Zülle, Jeker in road rage tussle; Azevedo doesn't like Heras comparison; Rebellin eyes Lìege, world's
By Andrew Hood
VeloNews European correspondent
This report filed January 9, 2004
Two-time Vuelta a España champion Alex Zülle, former world champion Oscar Carmenzind and two other pros were intentionally driven into a guard-rail by an angry motorist Thursday in Spain.

Zülle, Carmenzind (both Phonak), compatriot Fabian Jeker (Saunier Duval) and Santos González (Phonak) were training near Alicante in southern Spain when an 84-year-old driver exchanged heated words with the pros and then forced them into a guard-rail with his vehicle, the EFE wire services reported.

Jeker suffered a three-inch cut in his left thigh while Zülle was taken away in an ambulance, received five stitches at a local hospital and was told he can't train for 10 days.

"This time of year we're training harder and harder. This forced stop is going to cut my preparation, but I have to give thanks," Jeker said. "He could have killed us."

According to reports, the riders were riding side-by-side on a climbing section of a secondary road near the Mediterranean Sea when the motorist became angry after cursing them for blocking the road.

Words were exchanged and one of the riders flipped the bird, to which the driver responded by forcing the racers into the guard-rail.

Police detained the driver and Jeker filed a complaint with local authorities. A new Spanish law allows cyclists to ride two abreast on all roads.

Jan 9 2004
Racing urged on blackspot
By Gordon Currie

MEN'S magazine FHM have been branded irresponsible for encouraging speeding on Scotland's most dangerous road.

An article in the latest issue recommends the A889 near Dalwhinnie as a great place for ''bombing it'' as the road has no speed cameras.

A recent AA-sponsored survey found the Speyside link between the A9 and A86 has an accident record twice as bad as any other stretch of UK road.

Mid-Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: ''I hope that readers of the magazine will be sensible enough to ignore this article.

''FHM are encouraging dangerous driving and showing no consideration at all for those who live in this area.

SNP leader John Swinney added: ''The publishers should apologise to the victims of road accidents on this particular road for the offence caused.''

Original Article Found Here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/content_objectid=13797040_method=full_siteid=89488_headline=-MAG-ROAD-RAGE-name_page.html

San Francisco Man Killed in Apparent Road Rage Case
Sue McGuire for KCBS-740 AM

(KCBS)--An apparent case of road rage has led to the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man who died after someone fired shots into his vehicle while he was driving through downtown Concord early Sunday morning.

KCBS reporter Bob Butler says about 2:30 a.m., police received a 9-1-1 call that shots had been fired downtown.

"Responding officers found a vehicle crashed into the front steps of the Brenden Theatre at Salvio and Galinda streets. The driver was found dead behind the wheel of an apparent gunshot wound," said Sgt. Randy Fenn.

Investigators suspect that Max Antonio Cruz-Garcia, a San Francisco resident, may have gotten into a dispute with the occupants of another car as they drove through downtown on Galindo. Cruz Garcia lost control of his Lexus when someone in the other car opened fire.

"Unfortunately right now we really don't have much to go on that's why were really looking for the public's help," Sgt. Fenn added.

Police say they still do not know how many vehicles or suspects were involved, or what sparked the altercation, as they have received conflicting accounts of the incident.

Candace Chasteen was horrified. "If it had to happen I'm just glad it wasn't when a long line of people were standing there coming out of the theatre or going in," she said.

Cruz-Garcia's family including his mother, waited for hours at the police station Sunday while investigators interviewed passengers who were with the victim at the time.

Tampa Police are investigating a case of road rage in which both drivers shot at each other Saturday night.

Derek Porter and Thomas Watson were driving in separate cars on East Busch Boulevard. After a verbal exchange, police say Watson got out of his car, walked to the back and took out a handgun.

Police say Watson walked to Porter's car and fired several rounds at him. Then Porter got out of his car and shot back.

Porter was hit in the hand and forearm. Watson was not injured.

Police charged Watson with aggravated battery. Watson is a gun instructor at a Bay area shooting range.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.baynews9.com/site/NewsStory.cfm?storyid=31288

S.F. motorist's death probed as possible road rage
San Jose Mercury News, CA

CONCORD, Calif. (AP) - Concord Police are investigating whether a road rage incident caused a fatal accident that ended up in front of a movie theater early Sunday morning.

Max Antonio Cruz-Garcia, 23, of San Francisco, was pronounced dead at the scene after he crashed his car into the steps of the Brenden Theatres in downtown Concord, police said.

Movie-goers on Sunday afternoon were stunned to learn about the fatal incident. Concord, a city of about 121,000, has a relatively low crime rate.

Cruz-Garcia, reportedly driving a Lexus, had been involved in an altercation with one or more occupants of another car. Shots were fired about a block away from the movie venue and Cruz-Garcia lost control of the car, which jumped the curb and crashed at the theater.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/7693612.htm

Motorist killed in Concord Road rage may have led to shooting of S.F. man, police say
Erin Hallissy, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, January 12, 2004

Concord police are investigating whether road rage led to the fatal shooting of a motorist in downtown Concord early Sunday morning.

The man, Max Antonio Cruz-Garcia, 23, of San Francisco, crashed his car into the steps of the Brenden Theatres at Galindo and Salvio streets, and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 2:37 a.m., said Concord police Detective Ike Menchaca. The Contra Costa County coroner's office has scheduled an autopsy on Cruz-Garcia for today.

Police said that Cruz-Garcia, who was reportedly driving a Lexus, became involved in an altercation with one or more occupants of another vehicle while traveling on Galindo Street. Shots were fired as the cars passed Willow Pass Road, a block before the theater's main entrance. Cruz-Garcia lost control of the car, which jumped the curb and crashed into the movie house's concrete steps.

Police said that they did not know how many cars were involved and that they could not release any more information about the crime.

People waiting in line Sunday afternoon to see movies at the popular 14- screen multiplex said they were surprised to hear of the shooting.

"I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' This is not really something I'd expect,'' said Bill Cerri, 55, of Martinez, who was waiting outside the theater to see a movie with his cousin and other relatives. Cerri had earlier gone over to the spot where the car -- which had been removed -- had crashed. "I guess it could happen anywhere, but we just don't expect it here.''

Cerri said it was fortunate that the accident happened when the theater was closed and the streets nearly deserted.

"An incident like this could've wiped out a long line of people,'' he said, noting that there are often many customers outside the ticket windows during business hours.

Barbara Balaam, 58, of Concord said she was surprised an incident of road rage might occur in the city of about 121,000, which has a relatively low crime rate. Last year, there were four homicides in the city, including the slaying of an office worker as she walked on a trail during her lunch hour. A transient has been charged with that crime.

"I think it's pretty isolated,'' said Balaam, who was waiting to see a movie Sunday. "I feel safe in Concord.''

Police ask anyone with information about Sunday morning's incident to call Menchaca at (925) 671-5079.

Original Article Found Here: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/12/BAGHC4868J1.DTL

COURT: Thug jailed for road rage attack
Peterborough Evening Telegraph, UK

A THUG has been put behind bars for six months after attacking a pensioner in a road rage attack.

Duncan Scarsbrook hit 76-year-old grandfather, Ray Elliott, so hard that he suffered a suspected fractured eye socket and severe bruising.

Today, Mr Elliott said he had been left terrified by what had happened, and was now worried about going out at night alone.

Peterborough Crown Court was told the incident took place on November 15 last year, outside the Tesco Express store in Welland Road, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough.

Mr Elliott was reversing out of a parking space when 20-year-old Scarsbrook claimed the pensioner's car had struck his.

Scarsbrook got out of his car and began shouting at the pensioner, who was still sitting in his vehicle.

The thug then reached through Mr Eliott's car window and punched him twice in the face.

Tesco staff who witnessed the attack rushed to help Mr Elliott.

He was taken to Peterborough District Hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries.

Scarsbrook, of Cerris Road, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.

Scarsbrook sat crying and shaking in the dock as Judge Neil McKittrick sentenced him.

Judge McKittrick said: "I accept that there may have been some damage to your vehicle.

"But you lashed out and caused a vicious bruise around his eye.

"This was not a premeditated attack, but he was vulnerable.

"I take the view that custody it has to be."

Mr Elliott, a former machinist at Perkins Engines, who lives in New England, Peterborough, today told The Evening Telegraph: "I had only been in to Tesco to buy some groceries.

"Then, as I pulled out, the young man was saying I had hit his car and the next thing I knew he was punching me in the face.

"I was shocked, bleeding and in a lot of pain.

"I feel a bit frightened about going out at night now, especially if I am on my own.

"I hope that six months in prison will teach him a lesson."

Mr Eliott, who now works part-time at a DIY store, was off work for two days following the incident.

The pensioner, who had a heart by-pass operation some years ago and suffers from diabetes, added "When normal people get angry, they don't automatically lash out. It was completely unnecessary."

Defence lawyer said it was 'a dreadful offence'

WHEN Duncan Scarsbrook appeared at Peterborough, even his own defence lawyer called what he did to Raymond Elliott "a dreadful offence".

Catarina Sjolin said: "This was a dreadful offence and he can scarcely believe what he did.
"He described in interview a red mist descending over him.

"It was completely out of character."

The court was told that Scarsbrook had no previous convictions, but received a police caution last year for possessing cannabis.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.peterboroughet.co.uk/ViewArticlemore2.aspx?SectionID=845&ArticleID=722205

Baghdad's strictest driving teacher steers clear of road rage
He knows when to cut in, yield on lawless streets

Colin Freeman, Chronicle Foreign Service
Tuesday, January 13, 2004

Baghdad -- With a self-assurance that a circus knife-thrower would envy, Baghdad driving instructor Abu Haki beamed over his shoulder as he sat in his car alongside a nervous-looking student.

"This is a difficult job these days, of course," he said, gesturing at the motorized anarchy on the nearby highway. "Nobody respects the law anymore, or the traffic lights, and the students are always afraid they will crash. But even now, people must still learn to drive properly."

Haki's colleagues at the Al Riyadh Driving School call him "the Englishman" because he is such a stickler for the rules of the road. Now, his battered 1985 Datsun Cherry, complete with rooftop driving-school sign, sallies forth each day like a lone street preacher in a heathen land.

6 driving schools in Baghdad

Eight months after the collapse of Iraq's old regime, whatever progress has been made in restoring law and order stops completely on the streets of the capital. Traffic lights and signs are ignored, carjackings are still rife, and the few traffic police on duty are afraid to do their jobs for fear of being shot.

Haki, the longest-serving driving instructor in Baghdad, works at one of just six driving schools still operating in the city, compared with 71 before the war. Staying in business, however, has meant incorporating new and unorthodox techniques into his teaching repertoire.

Along with the three-point turn and reversing around a corner, learners must now master such skills as driving the wrong way down a one-way street and cruising along the sidewalk to escape traffic jams and roadblocks. There also are new matters of motoring etiquette, such as what to do when sharing road space with a 50-ton U.S. Army tank: Give plenty of clearance to avoid being shot at or getting flattened.

None of which, however, has diminished Haki's WASPishness as Baghdad's strictest teacher.

"They call me the Englishman because the English are very law-abiding, and I allow no mistakes by my pupils," he said, frowning as 20-year-old Rahim Suhail crunched into first gear. "Baghdad people used to be such good drivers, you know, the best in all Iraq. But now so many people drive looted vehicles, which makes them careless because they don't care if they crash them. And most new drivers haven't learned the rules at all."

This became apparent 30 yards down the road when a minibus carrying at least 20 people cut Suhail off at an intersection. Rights of way are now largely a game of chicken, hardly ideal in the macho world of Arab motoring.

"Go ahead. Don't be scared!" Haki scolded. "Otherwise, they'll just take advantage."

Having large L-plates above the car didn't help, he admitted. "People see that and laugh. Some of them even try to intimidate my students by driving very close or honking their horns."

Tests not required -- for now

Given that the city issues no licenses and gives no driving tests at present, it might seem odd that Haki has any students at all. Suhail insisted, however, that the $3-a-pop lessons were worth it. "One day, there will be a new driving system in place, and I want to have a proper license," he said.

Haki cut in on his conversation abruptly. "Drive me to Bab al Sharji," he demanded, pointing in the direction of the fast-moving freeway that leads to Baghdad's answer to Times Square. His young charge's face crumpled in dread.

As the car veered uncertainly into the speeding traffic, Haki decided it was time for a few horror stories.

"I was driving down the road last month, and a U.S. Army humvee got hit by a rocket-propelled grenade," he said. "You should always stay away from any U.S. Army convoy if you can. First, you are likely to get hit if someone fires at them. Secondly, the soldiers might hit you as they fire back."

Minutes later, the Datsun halted in major gridlock, as trucks, cars, buses and donkey carts from a dozen different directions were attempting, dodge-'em-style, to force their way through an intersection.

Such logjams are now a constant hazard, thanks to the frequent military roadblocks and the flood of more than 250,000 vehicles imported into Iraq since sanctions ended.

The chaos is not helped by public-spirited passers-by, whose futile attempts to direct traffic make them resemble escaped lunatics.

"I've seen people threaten each other with guns when they've bumped into each other," Haki said. "This car is from the scrap yard, so it doesn't matter if it gets smashed up. But others can get so angry, especially because I'm with a learner."

In a series of nerve-racking tests of accelerator, brake and clutch control, Suhail negotiated his way through, a feat that might have earned a grunt of praise from his mentor.

But for once, Haki's stern gaze was distracted. "Look at those Americans, " he said, glowering disapprovingly as three humvees cruised out of the gridlock down the sidewalk. "How am I supposed to set a good example when even they won't drive properly?"

The Englishman, it seemed, had had enough. "Drive me back toward the office," he said. "We'll do Bab al Sharji another day."

Original Article Found Here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/13/MNG4T47RSU1.DTL

Road Rage Kills Good Samaritans
WREG, TN

January 12, 2004

Memphis, TN - Memphis police are hunting for the driver of a red car believed to be involved in a road rage incident that killed a mother and son.

Some good Samaritans who stopped to help a woman who ran out of gas on Jackson Avenue Saturday night never thought they'd be repaid like this.

"Someone side-swiped their car and crushed them in between the two cars," says Diane Austin who's daughter Sheila ran out of gas. Both of her legs are broken.

Austin say no fewer than five people stopped to help her daughter. But that's when police say they all became the innocent victims of road rage. Investigators say the driver of a red car, cursing and gesturing profanities, forced a Mazda to slam into the good Samaritans. One of them is 17 year old high school senior Kenneth Marquis.

"My son is a very good hearted person," says Kenneth's mom Susan Marquis. "He has a heart of gold. He goes out of his way to help other people."

A Hispanic family who also helped out suffered the most. Andrea Florez and her 13 year old son Joshua Patino died. Andrea's 18 year old daughter Nataly and her husband Juan Martinez are both in the Intensive Care Unit of The Med.

"They're in a lot of pain, anguish. They have two dead family members and they don't have the money to bury these people," says Diane Austin.

Now all the families involved want justice. All want the driver of the missing red car to come forward.

"I appeal to their own morals, you know," says Kenneth Marquis' sister Jennifer. "I don't understand how anyone could accept they killed somebody."

"In the red car if you have a conscience please somebody knows who these people are that can be your family member dead at the side of the road," says Diane Austin.

If you have any information on the missing red car call CRIME STOPPERS 528-CASH.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=1597387

City commissioner accused of road rage
BY MITRA MALEK

BRADENTON BEACH -- Angered at the plodding pace of the car in front of her, a new city commissioner threatened the disabled driver, according to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report.

Lisa Marie Phillips slammed on her horn and then cut off Ronald Ockerman after he slowed down at a local intersection earlier this month, Ockerman told police.

According to the sheriff's report:

After making an obscene gesture, Phillips got out of her car and started yelling at Ockerman, 65.

Nervous, he told her he was going to call the Bradenton Beach Police Department. But Phillips told Ockerman that wouldn't do him any good.

"Go ahead, call the police. I am a city commissioner. I run the police, and I run the chief," Phillips reportedly told Ockerman. He said she even threatened to give him a ticket, according to the sheriff's report.

Ockerman didn't call the police. He called the Sheriff's Office instead.

The incident also prompted Ockerman to hire attorney David Wilcox. Ockerman declined to comment and referred questions to his lawyer Monday.

Phillips, 41, did not return calls for comment Monday.

"This lady was hysterical, over the top," Wilcox said.

Ockerman and his wife, Nancy, were driving home on 22nd Street at about 11:30 a.m. Jan. 3, Wilcox said. Even though there was no stop sign, Ockerman stopped when he got to 22nd and Avenue B, an intersection where overgrown plants block drivers' vision, Wilcox said.

"He was being cautious about going through there because people don't always stop," said Wilcox. "He was being prudent at a blind intersection."

Phillips blew her horn from behind. Ockerman saw her "flip him off" from his rearview mirror and he returned the gesture.

Shortly afterward, Phillips swerved from the left and pulled in front of him, before getting out of her car and yelling that she was a city commissioner who would make sure the police gave him a ticket.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said he was appalled to hear about Phillips' alleged threats and behavior.

"There isn't anybody that runs this department or me," Speciale said. "I don't want people feeling they can't come to the department. I don't do favors for anyone."

Speciale, who has been with the force for 17 years, four of them as chief, said the mayor is his boss.

This isn't the first time that Phillips, whom voters elected in November, has been accused of flaunting her recently acquired power.

In a Dec. 12 e-mail, she scolded the city's former building official, Bob Welch, for what she deemed an "uncooperative attitude" in getting back to her.

"Need I remind you, Bob, that I am a city commissioner?" Phillips wrote in the note. "As such, I am recommending a formal disciplinary action for your failure to comply with an information appeal."

Welch was already on 90 days' probation.

At its first meeting, in November, the new commission put all the department heads on probation, saying it wanted to make sure they were meeting city goals. The commission also fired its longtime attorney and the city planner.

Welch resigned the same month, saying the newly elected City Commission made it impossible for him to do his job by calling his integrity and professional ability into question.

Wilcox said he also represents Welch, who says he was forced to resign.

The Sheriff's Office is forwarding Ockerman's case to the state attorney's office, which will decide whether to press charges against Phillips.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040113/NEWS/401130561/1060

Police pursuing leads in possible road rage fatalities
The Tennessean, TN

MEMPHIS — Police were getting tips but still looking yesterday for a driver whose road rage may have caused a crash that killed two people and hurt four others.

The driver was in a late-model red Mustang that was damaged on the left side.

''People are calling in tips on red Mustangs with a lot of damage,'' Lt. Ron Fittes said. ''It shouldn't be hard to find.''

Fittes said the Saturday night crash remained under investigation and that police were unsure what charges might be filed against the Mustang driver.

The motorist was exchanging insulting hand signals with the driver of a Mazda when they suddenly came upon two other cars that had been involved in a minor accident, police said.

The driver of the Mustang sideswiped the Mazda, apparently while trying to avoid the cars stopped on a six-lane street with a speed limit of 55 mph, police said.

The victims were standing beside the highway when they were hit by the Mazda.

The driver of the Mazda, identified in police reports as Ashley Perkins, age unknown, was ticketed for no valid license and no proof of insurance.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/01/45433077.shtml?Element_ID=45433077

Armored Car Driver Accused In Road Rage Gun Threat
Police Say Worker Not Licensed To Carry Gun
WDIV, MI

The driver of an armored car was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly threatened another driver with a gun, according to Local 4 reports.

Police say the incident happened just after noon when the 36-year-old armored car driver, from Westland, started tailgating another car.

The Westland man followed the car into the parking lot of the West River Shopping Center at Grand River and Tuck in Farmington Hills, then started waving a handgun at the other driver.

The man in the other car called police and the armored car driver was later taken into custody, Local 4 reported.

Police say the Westland man did not have a license to carry the weapon, according to police.

Local 4 learned that the man had been working for the armored car company for about three months and had a reputation for having a short temper.

He now faces concealed weapon and aggravated assault charges.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2761929/detail.html

Road Rage Possibly Linked To Pedestrians' Deaths
KOIN, OR
$1,000 Reward Offered

PORTLAND -- Road rage may have led to the death of a mother and her 8-year-old son.
On Jan. 5, a Dodge Durango struck Meiying and Jin Lui as they walked home from Jin's school. They were crossing Southeast Foster Road near 54th Avenue when they were hit.

The driver, 27-year-old Tara Stanlick, is charged with manslaughter, driving under the influence and reckless driving.

But Portland police want to find a second car that witnesses say was making lane changes and blocking Stanlick's vehicle for several blocks.

The second car is described as silver, possibly a Toyota, with as many as three people inside.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call (503) 823-HELP

Original Article Found Here: http://www.koin.com/webnews/2004/20040114_pedfatal.shtml

Suspect Admits Role in Fatal Accident
Kelly Sanders

1/16/04

Memphis -- 23-year-old Kelly Sanders appeared in Memphis courtroom this morning, charged in connection with an weekend accident that left two people dead.

Police say Sanders has already admitted his role in the accident that happened Saturday night on Jackson Avenue. He's charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with death and one count of an illegal lane change. Right now (Friday afternoon) prosecutors are arguing to increase the charges to vehicular homicide...although that hasn't happened yet.

Police say they apprehended Kelly Sanders around 11 o'clock Wednesday night and impounded his red vehicle.

News Channel 3 has a crew inside the courtroom and will have the very latest on the story on wreg.com and a full report tonight, beginning on First at Four.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=1602274

Police investigate possible road rage incident
WMC-TV, TN

Memphis police are investigating what witnesses say was an extreme case of road rage.

Witnesses say the drivers of two cars travelling westbound on Winchester near Lamar began yelling at each other.

They say one car cut in front of the other.

That's when someone pulled a gun and began shooting.

The whole scene was terrifying for other drivers caught in the crossfire.

Witness D'Mar Hicks said, "I was scared for the people in the care because I thought it was somebody inside the car doing the shooting. Then it dawned on me that the car beside me was actually shooting at the guy in the little Pontiac there."

Police are still searching for the gunman.

The victim was taken to The Med in critical condition.

Arrest made Friday in road rage shooting
By: Chip Ramsey, Editor January 15, 2004

One man has been charged with attempted murder in what police are calling an incident of road rage.
Donald C. Meyers was released on $40,000 bond after he was arrested Friday for allegedly shooting at Michael Terry Smith after Smith left the Golden Gallon at Hwy 41 South.
The incident took place on the night of Dec. 21, 2003.
Investigator Butch Stewart with the Manchester Police Department said Smith and Meyers did not know each other. Meyers apparently became combative with Smith "for no apparent reason," according to Stewart.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1614&dept_id=516580&newsid=10812024&PAG=461&rfi=9

Motorist wounded in road rage attack near high school
Judi Villa and David J. Cieslak
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 16, 2004 12:00 AM

A 19-year-old man was shot in the neck Thursday afternoon during what police are calling a road rage incident outside Camelback High School.

The shooting did not take place on campus and did not involve students, Phoenix police Sgt. Randy Force said.

Two cars were heading north on 28th Street near Campbell Avenue about 3:30 p.m. when a man in one car fired into the victim's car.

The bullet slammed through the victim's neck and exited his cheek, said Phoenix Fire Capt. Elby Bushong. The wound is "life threatening," he said.

After the shooting, the victim pulled into Camelback High and asked for help at the administration building.

An elementary school, Villa Montessori, was in session across the street. Parents picking up children there arrived to find police tape and patrol cars.

"There's nothing more terrifying than seeing the road to your school blocked off by police. I'm still trembling," said Robin Gilson, 38, who was picking up her 3-year old son. "It's your worst nightmare seeing this. I just want to get my kid."

Force said it wasn't immediately clear what sparked the shooting. Police were searching for a white compact car with two men inside.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0116phxshooting16.html

Road Rage Strikes Cross Bay Boulevard
By Howard Schwach

A Rockaway man heading home on Cross Bay Boulevard nearby the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge on Monday, got the fright of his life when another motorist, apparently angered by the man’s driving, fired two shots through an open car window.

Angel Rosado was driving southbound on Cross Bay Boulevard at approximately 4:10 p.m. on Monday, when a motorist driving a black Lincoln Town Car came up behind him and began tooting his horn at Rosado.

When Rosado did not speed up or pull over, however, the unidentified motorist in the Lincoln pulled next to him, opened his window and pointed a handgun at Rosado.

The driver of the Lincoln moved his hand upward and shot twice in the air.

Rosado pulled to the side of the road and ran into the Jamaica Bay Bird Sanctuary on the west side of the boulevard.

He watched from hiding as the driver of the Lincoln turned his car, went over the divider and sped off northbound toward Howard Beach.

Rosado called police and told them of the incident. Police were unable to find the car, which has what Rosado described as a decal with a "red bird" on its rear window.

Detectives from the 100 Precinct are investigating.

A Topeka Woman Falls Victim to Road Rage
Lindsay Patterson

What if something you did or said while behind the wheel of your car caused someone to get so upset that they physically harmed you or a member of your family?
It is road rage, and one Topeka woman came face to face with it Thursday afternoon. The woman found herself fighting of a young woman who lost her temper while taking an afternoon drive.
Topeka streets are normally very quiet, but that was not the case at 29th and Bulingame around 3:00 Thursday afternoon.
Jamie, wh doesn't want her last name released, was heading down 29th street when a young woman pulled out and was following her closely. She motioned her to back off and get off her bumper. The woman didn't back off, the situation escalated, and she crossed the legal line.
The woman walked up to Jaimie's car and started hitting her and pulling her hair. Jamie was not alone, she had her 4 year old son Trey with her.
She was able to get the license plate number, but she is left with painful reminders of the attack. The Topeka Police Department is still looking for jamie's attacker.
Lt. Randy Listrom says to keep your car doors locked and try not to be confrontational. It can lead to accidents and criminal action. He says we need to be a city of compassion and stay away from road rage.
Police say most road rage incidents are triggered because people are in a hurry. They suggest leaving earlier so you can reduce your stress level.
If you have any information about Thursday's attack you are asked to call authorities.

Road rage is an old problem
DON CUNNINGHAM

My dad wrote this letter to the editor of The Modesto Bee in 1957:
"Recent articles in this column concerned some drivers who took drastic, foolish and sometimes fatal measures to uphold their so-called rights on the highway. Everytime I read of someone going to these lengths I am reminded of the following very appropriate observation which I once read: 'It is not who is right, but who is left!'

People who drive on today's highways may live a little longer if they remember this. -- O.A. Cunningham, Modesto"

The story is just as true today!

Original Article Found Here: http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/8019787p-8883825c.html

Road rage incident marked by gunshots, police report
By Mike Belt, Journal-World

Sunday, January 18, 2004

One man was arrested early Saturday and another is being sought after a road rage disturbance that led to gunshots, Lawrence Police said.

The incident began about 2:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Second Street when a dispute developed between two men in a car and a man and woman in a truck. The car's occupants reportedly threw beer bottles at the truck and fired two or three gunshots at it, Sgt. Susan Hadl said. No one was injured.

The rolling disturbance continued across the Massachusetts Street bridge and resulted in a collision between the two vehicles. The car became disabled on Sixth Street. The couple in the truck called police, Hadl said.

Police found a Topeka man in his late 20s at the disabled car and took him in for questioning. He was later arrested and taken to the Douglas County Jail.

A second man, also a Topekan in his late 20s and believed to be the gunman, fled the disabled car, Hadl said. A gun was not recovered. Police were still looking for him late Saturday. No description of the suspect was available.

Officers were not sure what caused the dispute, Hadl said.

The victims were a 38-year-old man who gave police an address at a Lawrence motel, and a 28-year-old woman from Olathe. They couldn't be reached Saturday for comment.

Road rage fuels chase and crash
STAFF REPORT

CALEXICO — A woman involved in road rage-fueled high-speed chase crashed into the Central Main Canal near here Friday night.

The unidentified woman's car plunged into a stretch of the canal near the intersection of Pitzer and Jasper roads.

Calexico fire Capt. Art Navarro said the woman got into an argument with another female motorist in the parking lot of the Calexico Wal-Mart.

Their argument spilled out of the lot and they started chasing each other west on Jasper Road, Navarro said.

The woman who crashed into the canal was the woman who was being pursued, Navarro said.

Firefighters who responded to the incident helped pull the woman onto the canal bank. She wasn't injured.

The pursuing woman fled the scene.

Further information on the case or whether it is still being investigated wasn't available at presstime.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2004/01/17/news/news05.txt

Road Rage Families Want A 'True' Justice
By Brian Kuebler

Memphis -- Leo Garcia spent the better part of Sunday burying his brother and his mother.

They were both killed last weekend in what the family believes is a case of Road rage. Garcia tells News Channel 3 that he wants the driver to suffer a stricter penalty.

23 year old Kelly Sanders faces up to four years for causing the accident and then failing to report it for four days.

Garcia believes Sanders' rage caused the accident that took the lives of his family members.

He plans on hiring his own lawyers to try and stiffen the penalty.

The next step for this case is to go to the grand jury.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=1606162

Possible Road Rage Leaves One Man Dead and One Man Charged With Murder
By: Sandra Kirk

Hot Springs - A possible case of road rage ends with one man dead, and another charged with murder. police say the shooting stemmed from a car accident last night in Hot Springs. The victim was was hit several times in the chest. Channel 7's Beejal Patel reports:

This bizarre incident happened Saturday night at ten o'clock, in the parking lot of a busy gas station in Hot Springs. Police say what started as a minor car accident, escalated into an argument, and ended with several gun shots. This tragic turn of events, claimed the life of 42 year old Inocencio Cruz of Amity, Arkansas. Police say Cruz was driving a Chevy Blazer and he apparently crashed into the back of a Mercury Sable. The driver was 44 year old Scott Ross of Hot Springs. Tthe two men pulled into a nearby gas station, police say Scott Ross got out and approached the victim who was still sitting in his car. They got into an argument. That's when police say Ross fired at Cruz through his driver's side window. Cruz was hit several times in the chest and later died at a hospital.

(Cpl. Walt Everton, Hot Springs Police)"This is a main thoroughfare through town.. there's always traffic.. there are convenient stores, across the street there were witnesses standing outside.. they heard gunshots and saw what happened."

Police say Scott Ross then left the scene on foot.

(Everton) "He took off walking up the street, wasn't running, just walked at a casual pace."

Police say Ross got a ride to Bryant, he was later picked up near his estranged wife's house. Detectives say they found a gun in the house, they sent it to the crime lab to find out whether it was the actual gun used in the alleged shooting. And, after a detailed search Sunday afternoon, police also found a shot gun inside the suspect's car.

Scott Ross is at the Garland County jail, charged with first degree murder. Police say Ross did not have a permit to carry a gun. Also, a detective says Ross does not have a criminal history in Hot Springs.

Original Article Found Here: http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0104/119754.html

Steering a path to righteousness: 10 commandments from Vatican The Associated PressPublished: Jun 19, 2007

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican on Tuesday issued a set of the "Drivers' Ten Commandments," telling motorists to be charitable to others on the highways, to refrain from drinking and driving, and to pray you make it before you even buckle up.

An unusual document from the Vatican's office for migrants and itinerant people also warned that automobiles can be "an occasion of sin" - particularly when they are used for dangerous passing or for prostitution.

It warned about the effects of road rage, saying driving can bring out "primitive" behavior in motorists, including "impoliteness, rude gestures, cursing, blasphemy, loss of sense of responsibility or deliberate infringement of the highway code."

It urged motorists to obey traffic regulations, drive with a moral sense and to pray when behind the wheel.

Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the office, said at a news conference that the Vatican felt it necessary to address the pastoral needs of motorists because driving had become such a big part of contemporary life.

Today in Europe UN project traces the missing on CyprusAfter French election stumble, Sarkozy alters his team Poland won't back down on EU voting system He noted that the Bible was full of people on the move, including Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus - and that his office was responsible for dealing with all "itinerant" people - from refugees to prostitutes, truck drivers to the homeless.

"We know that as a consequence of transgressions and negligence, 1.2 million people die each year on the roads," Martino said. "That's a sad reality, and at the same time, a great challenge for society and the church."

The document, "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road," extols the benefits of driving - family outings, getting the sick to the hospital, allowing people to see other cultures.

But it laments a host of ills associated with automobiles: Drivers use their cars to show off; driving "provides an easy opportunity to dominate others" by speeding; drivers can kill themselves and others if they do not get their cars regular tuneups, if they drink, use drugs or fall asleep at the wheel.

The document calls for drivers to obey speed limits and to exercise a host of Christian virtues: charity to fellow drivers, prudence on the roads, hope of arriving safely and justice in the event of crashes.

And it suggests prayer might come in handy - performing the sign of the cross before starting off and saying the Rosary along the way. The Rosary was particularly well-suited to recitation by all in the car since its "rhythm and gentle repetition does not distract the driver's attention."

The document is intended for bishops conferences around the world, and as such offered recommendations for their pastoral workers.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

Other coping strategies include avoiding the congestion unless absolutely necessary, giving yourself plenty of time to go somewhere and making a contingency plan in case you are late.

Another thing that would help is if transportation officials would acknowledge the pain, said Leon James, a University of Hawaii professor who studies driving psychology. He said officials in general need to do more to recognize the frustration of drivers stuck in traffic.

In other states, he has advised authorities to get on talk radio during rush hour to tell drivers they understand their feelings. In Pennsylvania, he suggested crews change the road signs from "Expect delays" to "Expect to be annoyed."

"Officials aren't relating to the feelings of the motorist," James said. "Instead, they're relating to the consequences."

Car shot in road rage

Stewing over traffic isn't best way to cope Go ahead, get steamed -- and then get over it

Stewing over traffic isn't best way to cope
Go ahead, get steamed -- and then get over it