JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A road rage incident turned violent late Saturday night, involving gunfire, multiple cars and a closed-off exit ramp.
Action News Jax spoke with Tyler, the 29-year-old man involved, who did not want his name to be shared. He said a heated exchange between him and another driver at a stoplight led to gunshots being fired at him.
He says all of it first began around 8:20 p.m. Saturday night on Atlantic Boulevard, which resulted in JSO closing off the southbound exit ramp to Atlantic Boulevard off I-295 because another car was damaged.
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“The light turned green and we’re still exchanging words and next thing I know he shot at my car,” he said.
After calling 911 and his father for help, he pulled a U-turn to get away from the other driver. Moments later he pulled a second U-turn because he tried to get the driver’s tag number to catch the man.
He said the back-and-forth pursuit of nearly an hour felt like something straight out of a video game.
Tyler’s father joined in the chase from Atlantic Boulevard to Southside, to Southside Service Road, to the Dames Point Bridge and eventually to Hecksher Drive.
He said his anger took over as well, to stop the other man.
“I get up to the back right of the guy’s truck. I turn my wheel a little bit to the right and slammed into him. He did a 360,” Tyler said.
Once he crashed into the other driver’s truck, Tyler said he got out but so did the other man.
“He’s got both hands on the gun and he’s walking toward my car slowly,” he said.
Tyler says he ran for the woods and a second gunshot was fired at him.
“Something clicked in my head like a dude really just tried to kill me,” Tyler said. “He could have hit me, killed me and got away who knows.”
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Tyler, who says he was the victim, has a black Kia Optima which now has an unfortunate new addition of a bullet hole on the passenger door from the first of many gunshots throughout last night.
Action News Jax’s Ben Ryan took video of Tyler showing the bullet that went through the door and to the inside of the seat.
The front left hood of the car is totaled after the car crashed into the man who Tyler said was trying to kill him.
Tyler said his father’s car has even more bullet holes in it.
Action News Jax’s Ben Ryan took video of Tyler’s father’s car and it shows bullet holes and broken glass all around it.
“My dad, he’s got at least five bullet holes in his car,” Tyler said.
Action News Jax has learned the other driver involved was arrested as of this morning.
Tyler said that his father saved his life. He has also filed a police report. Action News Jax has made a request to JSO for a copy of it.