Road Rage Shootings Piling Up Lately
NORTH TEXAS (CBS11) - Three road rage shootings in less than one week in the Metroplex has some drivers on edge.
Sunday night, a 19-year-old man was shot and killed near I-20 and Matlock Road in Arlington.
On Monday, investigators said a woman was shot in the head in Mesquite.
"It takes just a second or two for things to go bad," said Sgt. Randall Zabojnic of the Carrollton Police Department.
Zabojnic says he has seen a sharp uptick patrolling Carrollton and has experienced it first hand.
"He came up to the window, banging on it. I rolled it down, like what's the problem and pop… hit me," said Zabojnic.
The attack happened 12 years ago when he was a recruit, but the memory stick with Zabojnic.
"That guy could have had a gun, he could have shot me right there," said Zabojnic.
Zabojnic urges drivers to give themselves plenty of time to get somewhere. He also feels drivers need to use their blinkers and said they should not drive slow in the left lane.
"Ultimately it comes down to just having courtesy," said Zabojnic.
If someone does find themselves on the receiving end of road rage, Zabojnic wants drivers to slow down, let the angry driver pass and said no eye contact should be made.
"That's the last thing we want to do in these situations is challenge somebody," said Zabojnic.
If a driver cannot get away from the other driver, police said they should try calling 911. If they cannot, they said to drive to a public place like a police department or fire station."
"The one thing you cannot get back is your health your safety and your life," said Zabojnic.
Police officers said they tend to see more road rage in construction zones. They also said cell phones are a factor and an influx of new Texas transplants who do not know the road could also cause tension.
