Police: Driver's Onboard Camera Captures Him Shooting At Another Driver 11 Times On I-95
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Deerfield Beach man is facing serious charges after his own vehicle's onboard camera recorded him grabbing a gun from his vehicle's center console and opening fire at another vehicle while traveling southbound on I-95, according to authorities.
It happened on June 21, 2021, at around 7 a.m.
Police identified the shooter as Michael Phillip Popper, 30, who they said became involved in a road rage incident with another driver.
Here is what police said led to the shooting:
"The defendant changed lanes in front of the victim and abruptly cut him off. When the victim honked his horn, the defendant shouted and expletive and abruptly applied his brakes."
"The victim tailgated the defendant for a short time and made hand gestures out of his driver's window. In the video, the defendant is seen retrieving a handgun from his center console and pointing it towards his driver's door."
"When the defendant begins to pass the victim on the right, the defendant points the handgun towards his right-front passenger door. As the victim passes the defendant, he throws and strikes the victim's vehicle with an unknown object."
Popper is then seen pointing his handgun at the victim and shooting eleven times, striking the victim's vehicle several times.
Watch: Video courtesy of talk show host Andy Slater
Police said neither the defendant nor the victim was injured.
Authorities said both parties reported the incident to police.
"Popper claimed he thought he had been shot at. The victim said he threw a water
bottle at the defendant's vehicle and was not in possession of a firearm," police said.
The video was provided by Popper for the purposes of this investigation.
Popper voluntarily turned himself in to the Florida Highway Patrol but has since bonded out.
He faces charges including aggravated felony assault with a firearm.