Forest Park Driver Killed in Road Rage Incident

Clayton County Courthouse

Forest Park, Ga. - According to Clayton County Police, they are requesting help from the public to locate suspects involved in a fatal road-rage shooting.

Police stated that “As the vehicles continued onto Old Dixie Road, a dispute occurred, and while stopped for a red light at the intersection of Old Dixie Road and Frontage Road, another altercation ensued during which the victim was shot and killed.”

Police arrived on scene to discover the victim deceased in the roadway. There were witnesses to the crime, and now police are working to locate the suspects.

As a Clayton County DUI Lawyer, I want to focus today's post on the serious traffic violation that occurred before the intentional killing of the driver in this case - aggressive driving.

Aggressive Driving in Georgia

Aggressive Driving in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code as:

Driving with the intent to annoy, harass, molest, intimidate, injure, or obstruct another person, including without limitation violating Code Section 40-6-42 [overtaking and passing], 40-6-48 [improper lane change or usage], 40-6-49 [following too closely], 40-6-123 [failing to signal], 40-6-184 [driving too slowly], 40-6-312 [lane usage by motorcycles], or 40-6-390 [reckless driving] with such intent. O.C.G.A. §40-6-397.

If convicted of aggressive driving, a person is guilty of a Georgia high and aggravated misdemeanor. This means that the punishment could include a fine up to $5,000, jail time of up to 12 months, or both. An aggressive driving conviction will also add six points to your license, which has an even greater potential of leading to a driver's license suspension.

Examples of aggressive driving can include:

• Weaving in and out of lanes of traffic
• Driving at high speeds
• Tailgating
• Forceful merging
• Cutting other drivers off
• Passing in shoulder lanes or no-passing zones

Practice Note

Aggressive driving is a serious offense much like other traffic violations such as DUI in Georgia. If you have been arrested for such an offense, call our offices now.