Road Rage Incident in San Antonio...

[seamusTX]

I guess no one wants to mess with you when you are in a large truck just if you are in a car or a
compact pickup.

I think so. Road ragers are not really irrational. They don't pick on trucks that can run over them without slowing down, cops, or cars full of probable gang members.

I've mostly driven small and usually beat-up cars.

- Jim

[308nato]

all my run ins were on 290 out side of Houston city limits after work.

[KD5NRH]

I think so. Road ragers are not really irrational. They don't pick on trucks that can run over them without slowing down, cops, or cars full of probable gang members.

Some of them also back off when they see a car that just screams "I don't care about my paint job" and has a TSRA sticker on what's left of the bumper.

[stevie_d_64]

“I'm still really shaken up. I don't really want to talk about it at all,� Correa told a reporter when contacted at his home Tuesday afternoon.

Finally, a person who knows how to answer the media properly.
To me, seeing this was the best part of the whole story.

The word is getting out...

[nitrogen]

MY wife made a great point while I was telling her about this thread.
Everywhere else I've lived, I've driven an "average" or "below average" car. When I moved here, I was able to get a nicer, faster, sleeker car. She thinks the nicer car attracts the morons, which could also be the case.

[waffenmacht]

Some of them also back off when they see a car that just screams "I don't care about my paint job" and has a TSRA sticker on what's left of the bumper.

Hey, thats MY car!

[Glock 23]

According to Correa and several witnesses quoted in the report, Tuesday's incident began when Garza maneuvered his Mitsubishi Lancer behind Correa's 2002 Chevrolet Camaro around 1 a.m. and began driving aggressively and trying to hit the Camaro.

I wonder if there was an incident prior to this? It seems odd that the Camaro and driver would be chosen at random. Of course, my spouse always says, "friends don't let friends drive Chevys."

Tom

Of course, I'm really grasping at straws here and Mr. Correa might really have just been an innocent guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like srothstein, I agree Correa's statement to the reporter was the very best part. It was nice to see someone finally demonstrate and understanding of the fact that unnecessary jaw-jacking does not work in your favor.

yea, too much thought too it. Probably cut the guy off on accident without knowing it and the rest is history.

[KBCraig]

A rusty 25 year old pickup with welded steel bumpers also seems to discourage would-be "ragers".

[GalaxyFE]

I have actually thought about going to the PD and seeing if I could get a copy of the report. I am very curious too as to what the witnesses saw before/during the incident. I saw the guys obit today in the paper...kinda adds to the story a little bit...makes it "real" (I know it sounds weird, but you see his parents, grandparents names, etc. really makes you think about one's actions) I am sure when he was ringing in the New Year he had no idea he would be 6' under at Fernando Cemetery #2 in just a few days.

[NcongruNt]

FWIW, I thought it was much worse in the city of Chicago than in Texas, but I spent a lot more time behind the wheel there.

My own limited personal experience in Chicago also reflects this. I remember walking around downtown Chicago, and finding that the drivers there SPEED UP so you jump out of their way in the crosswalk, even when you have the legal right of way (i.e. you're crossing the street and they are turning left across your crosswalk) . I attended a wedding in Chicago in the last year, and can attest that the drivers seem to be more aggressive, especially if you're obeying the speed limit and they're stuck behind you (such as on a long on-ramp or something similar). The same thing happens here, but with nowhere near the aggression that I experienced there.

Of course, drivers in Austin are generally a little more courteous (although the moron factor is higher as well), and my experience driving in Dallas is a little closer to what it's like in Chicago. I'd still rate Chicago higher over Dallas in driver aggression, though.

[HankB]

There have been about 3 times in the last 10 years that I encountered a situation that might have escalated to an "incident" . . . but since I'm long past my hotheaded teenage years, in each case I was able to de-escalate things by smiling, shrugging, waving, and letting the miserable so-and-so think I was apologizing for whatever he thinks I did.

So he drove away thinking he was Alpha Driver . . . and I drove away without having to shoot him.

Satisfactory ending as far as I'm concerned . . .

[Liberty]

There have been about 3 times in the last 10 years that I encountered a situation that might have escalated to an "incident" . . . but since I'm long past my hotheaded teenage years, in each case I was able to de-escalate things by smiling, shrugging, waving, and letting the miserable so-and-so think I was apologizing for whatever he thinks I did.

So he drove away thinking he was Alpha Driver . . . and I drove away without having to shoot him.

Satisfactory ending as far as I'm concerned . . .

Thanks Hank,
for your wisdom, and for making me smile

[GalaxyFE]

I know this story is a couple of months old now, but I went to the PD and pulled the report. Here are some of the highlights: (Offenses sited: Criminal Mischief $500-1000 and terroristic threatening)

One of the witnesses was the shooter’s girlfriend who was following him until was cut off by the suspect. The girlfriend called the shooter because of the erratic driving and attempted to call 911 before being stopped by the red light.

The suspect approached exited his car, approached the shooters car, hit it twice with the bat and then the shooter got out of his vehicle. The suspect approached the shooter who warned him by saying “stop.� The suspect did not stop and “advanced on him�, and the shooter shot him 3 times (as stated by the shooter; the officer noted at least ‘two’ GSWs). After he shot him, he got back in his car and waited for police to arrive. The girlfriend also waited in her car until police arrived.

The shooter was brought to the interviewing officer who told him he was a CHL holder and that the weapon was in his car (which was a Glock). The property list also showed a .38 snub-nose, but it did not indicate where it was located. He was searched for officer safety. He stated to the officer that he “felt threatened� and “did not give him (the suspect) a chance to hit him�.

The girlfriend’s statement was the same except that the suspect was yelling at him as he approached the car.

Another witness was traveling the same direction as the incident vehicles were and stated the suspect “passed him at a great rate of speed and driving erratically� he also saw him almost hit the shooter’s car. His story was the same as the shooter and the girlfriend. He pulled into a gas station and waited for police to arrive.

Two other witnesses (riding together) were at the intersection perpendicular to the incident. They both stated that the suspect got out of the car with the bat, the shooter got out of the car and shot the suspect. They stopped to help the suspect at which time the shooter stated “it was self defense� and then got back in his car (the shooter). It was unclear what theses witnesses did after the statement.

The girlfriends car was released to her father (not sure why this happened, they didn’t elaborate) by hand receipt. The shooters car was moved to the gas station (with his permission) and was transported to the PD to give a statement. Afterwards, the same reporting officer took the shooter back to his car.

A couple of things here: After shooting the suspect, he got back in his car...and his girlfriend stayed in her car. Awesome idea in my opinion. No need to stand around and talk about what happened before LE arrives. I wonder how it may have been perceived differently if he attempted to assist the suspect.

Second, leave your gun in the car after this happens. No need to escalate the situation once LE arrives.

Third, although it didn't say if he had an attorney down at the station, it was obvious that he wasn't down there too long since the same officer brought him back to his car.

I can't see ANYWHERE that this guy messed up. He covered his bases, didn't talk to anyone and told the press "I am really shaken up, I don't want to talk".

I have taken this as a VERY GOOD learning experience. Have a plan in place if something like this happens AND STICK TO IT!!!

And Brain, if you a member or a lurker here...and this is not to say what you had to do is what you wanted to do, but nonetheless...AWESOME JOB!!!

One last thing, if you want a copy of the report, PM me and I'll e-mail you a copy.

[casingpoint]

LOL at this thread. In 1975 I went from a VW Beetle to a Ford F100 in Houston. First thing I noticed is the women quit looking at me in traffic. Bummer.

The second thing I noticed is all the men driving pickup trucks were. Bummer.

My take: these Texas "men" driving pickup trucks were gay and the trucks were somehow a cruising medium that had been oblivious to me as a little car driver. In retrospect, I reckon the word pickup should have clued me.