Road Rage Leads to Fatality in Forest Park

Clayton County Courthouse

Forest Park, Ga. - Clayton County authorities have reported a fatality that occurred yesterday as a result of an alleged road rage incident.

Officers arrived on the scene to find the victim of the incident in the roadway. Authorities stated, “Clayton County detectives are currently investigating this incident as a homicide. A preliminary investigation suggests this incident may have started due to road rage. The incident escalated, leading to the fatal shooting of the victim.”

As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will focus on what could potentially be the initial offense before the homicide - 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.