INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police arrested a Greenfield man accused of shooting at a vehicle with children inside during a road rage incident on I-65 Tuesday.
Justin McGuire, age 33, was charged with criminal recklessness.
At about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, authorities received a 911 call reporting shots fired from a Dodge Ram pick-up truck at a Jeep Patriot on I-65 near Washington Street in Indianapolis.
Court documents state that the driver of the Jeep said he had his two children — ages 7 and 9 — in the back seat and was stopped at a red light waiting to turn left onto I-65 southbound. When the light turned green, he began to go. That’s when the Ram pick-up truck turned right onto I-65 southbound and nearly crashed into the Jeep, the Jeep driver told police.
Road rage ensued, explained the Jeep driver, with honking horns, an exchange of middle fingers and screaming. Things escalated when the driver of the truck pulled out a handgun and waved it around as he screamed at the Jeep, claimed the Jeep driver. After seeing the gun, the Jeep driver decided to take an exit street. As he did, the driver described hearing the “loud boom” of the gun and something hit his driver’s-side door, per court documents.
Documents go on to say that after realizing his Jeep had been shot, the driver called 911 and got back onto the interstate to follow the truck so he could relay its license plate number to authorities. After he got the plate number, the truck slammed on its breaks before speeding off on I-70.
ISP said troopers found the truck a short time later near Holt Road and I-70 and detained the driver.
During an interview with detectives, McGuire said the Jeep cut him off as he tried to turn right onto I-65 southbound, court documents state. He too described a road-rage incident with honking horns and middle fingers but initially denied having a gun in his hand or shooting at the Jeep. McGuire told detectives the Jeep sped toward his truck, and he was afraid it was trying to run him off the road. However, after a meal and bathroom break, McGuire admitted that he fired a “warning shot” at the Jeep, per documents.
ISP noted that this marks the 61st shooting incident troopers have investigated on Indianapolis-area interstate in 2022. Last year, state police investigated 65 interstate shootings in the Indianapolis area.