Man arrested for deadly Taneytown Fourth of July road rage shooting
BALTIMORE -- A 20-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for his involvement in the Fourth of July road rage incident that left one dead and multiple injured in Taneytown.
Davon Joseph Dabbs was taken into custody at his home in Taneytown and brought to Carroll County Central Booking on Saturday evening, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office announced.
He is facing first degree murder, two counts of first degree assault, and another two counts of second degree assault.
The night of the shooting
The incident unfolded Thursday night just off Taneytown Pike.
Police responded just before 10 p.m.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren reviewed police dispatch calls.
"Call taker can hear a physical fight in progress," the dispatcher said in the recording. "The call taker is hearing sounds. Unsure if it's gunshots or fireworks."
The number of injuries quickly grew.
"We've got one shot in the leg and one shot in the face, and it sounds like a third now shot as well," according to dispatch audio from Broadcastify.
Police told WJZ a car and pickup truck were traveling along Route 140 when the road rage incident began.
Investigators learned that the situation escalated when Dabbs and his 26-year-old passenger, also of Taneytown, pulled off the highway and began fighting 33-year-old, Christopher Patrick Moore.
During the fight, Moore's 33-year-old fiancé pulled up to the scene and exited her vehicle.
Moore's fiancé pulled out her legally owned and carried handgun and opened fire hoping this would de-escalate the assault, she told investigators.
Instead, Dabbs rushed at her, and physically assaulted her in an attempt to gain possession of the firearm, resulting in Dabbs being shot in the left leg.
At one point, Dabbs was able to gain possession of the handgun, and further assaulted her with multiple strikes to the face.
Dabbs then fired multiple rounds, one of which struck his passenger in the hand and two of which struck Moore in the chest.
Moore's fiancé suffered a broken jaw, and injuries to the head and face, and was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Dabbs and his passenger were transported to a regional hospital for medical treatment for their injuries, which were not life-threatening.
Moore was pronounced deceased at the scene. None of the other passengers of any of the vehicles were injured.
"Usually very safe around here"
Hellgren reports the shooting occurred in a rural area on a dead-end road. Neighbors said nothing like this has happened there before, and some thought the gunfire was fireworks from the Fourth of July.
"It's like you can't believe it. It's just so odd for this area. It's usually very safe around here. It's strange," said Gary Combs from Carroll County. "It's just sad. This is a very safe area. It's just sad."
If anyone has any additional information about this incident, please contact Detective Ehrhart at 410-386-2599 or jehrhart@carrollcountymd.gov.
