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A Fort Worth, Texas police officer has been fired after he shot another driver in a road rage incident. William Martin wasn’t on the clock, in uniform, or in a police department vehicle when the fight unfolded, but he reportedly ended it by discharging his pistol several times.
Driver runs a red light to clear the way for an ambulance.
The department called the shooting “unjustified force.” It’s unclear what started the road rage exchange, however at some point the other driver rammed Martin’s car, then took off. Martin reportedly chased down the other driver, discharging his weapon into the vehicle repeatedly.
Martin called 911, stating he had been hit by the other driver, who was in a Ford F-150, and that he was chasing the suspect down. Then he claimed the truck tried ramming his Honda again, so he opened fire.
While the other driver was struck by at least one bullet, he did survive. That man says he had no idea he struck Martin’s vehicle, plus he didn’t know the guy was a cop, so there’s a big gap between the two men’s stories.
It sounds like this case is going to be a legal dogfight with many heated claims as evidence is drug out. There’s the possibility of a trial and of civil litigation on top of the criminal case.
The next time someone makes you really angry while you’re driving, remember that a rageful act in the moment could have a lasting effect on your life. Not only could you get hit with criminal charges and possibly convicted, you might be facing a civil lawsuit for your actions.
Would suffering in jail and/or prison plus paying large sums of money for a civil judgment worth you telling another driver how much they suck? This is why road rage is so shortsighted.
Image via Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth/YouTube
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