Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton is asking drivers to “take a deep breath and take a time-out” after a pair of road rage incidents involving guns this week.
“People are losing their temper and it is escalating and has escalated to violence,” Patton said. “We can’t have that. The roads are dangerous enough without this type of behavior.”
The sheriff is referring to a pair of road rage incidents —one Tuesday and another Wednesday.
“The one last night is separate from the one the day before,” Patton said Wednesday.
At about 10:10 a.m., Tuesday, a 2023 Honda CR-V and a 2016 Ford F-150 were both traveling west on U.S. 33.
“They were both involved in some back and forth erratic driving,” Patton said.
The driver of the pick-up truck, a Delaware County man, was getting off U.S. 33 at U.S. 42. According to sheriff’s reports, while the truck was on the exit ramp, “an occupant in the Honda CR-V allegedly fired a weapon at the driver in the Ford F-150 striking the driver’s side door and hitting the driver in the leg.”
Patton clarified that the bullet fragmented and did not penetrate into the cab, but did cause a panel in the truck to break and the broken panel pieces hit and bruised the driver.
The driver of the CR-V stayed on U.S. 33.
Patton said that the driver of the truck got off U.S. 33 and called 911. Units from the Jerome Township Fire Department were called to the scene and transported the victim to Dublin Methodist Hospital. A report termed the injury as “minor.”
Deputies got behind the SUV on U.S. 33 near the pedestrian bridge in Marysville.
“Our deputy was following the car but we waited to get additional units there for safety reasons because there was a gun,” Patton said.
Deputies stopped the suspect vehicle on U.S. 33, east of Route 347 in Logan County. Patton said investigators found a gun and a spent bullet casing inside the vehicle.
“The incident remains under investigation,” Patton said.
The driver was eventually identified as Jamyle T. Bell, 18, of Bellefontaine. Patton said the man “initially lied about his identity and age” and was taken to the Central Ohio Youth Center. Investigators were later able to confirm his identity and he was transferred from COYC to the Tri-County Regional Jail.
Bell is charged with one count each of felonious assault, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, obstructing official business, and falsification. He was arraigned Wednesday in Marysville Municipal Court and is being held on $200,000 bond.
A passenger in the vehicle, Teosha N. Reynolds, 34, of Bellefontaine, was also arrested, charged with felonious assault and endangering children because there was a 4-year old child in the car at the time of the alleged shooting. Reynolds is also being held at the Tri-County Regional Jail with bail set at $100,000.
Wednesday’s road rage incident involving a 2016 Chevy Malibu and a 2012 Dodge started at about 4:04 p.m.
Lt. Shawn D. Cook, commander of the Marysville Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said Wednesday’s incident began in Logan County.
“The driver of the Malibu thought another person cut them off,” Cook said.
From there he said there was some tailgating, some erratic driving, the driver of the Malibu said they thought the other driver threw something out the window and hit her car.
“That’s when the gun came out,” Cook said.
The victim, driving the Dodge, then called 911 to report the incident claiming the female driver waived a handgun at him twice.
The Dodge stopped at the Walmart in Marysville. Deputies were able to stop the female driver near Route 245.
Cook said officers smelled marijuana in the car. The driver, Shannel Graham, and her grandmother, who was also in the car, were taken to the Marysville Post. Cook said investigators found a loaded handgun in Graham’s purse, which was on the floor of the vehicle near the woman’s feet.
Graham, 33, of Whitehall, was charged with operating a vehicle intoxicated due to allegedly testing positive for marijuana use, driving under suspension and disorderly conduct for allegedly waiving the gun. Cook said it would be up to prosecutors to pursue possible charges for improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle.
Graham is set to be arraigned Monday.
“I think with these road rage incidents occurring back to back, we need to caution people,” Patton said. “With the holidays, everyone is stressed, everyone is in a rush. Be careful. Be kind. Give people some space. Take a deep breath before you respond to someone’s bad behavior and turn a bad situation, potentially into a tragic situation.”
Patton said law enforcement officials continue to be on the lookout for the bad behavior and budding road rage.
Cook said he would echo Patton’s sentiments.
He added that often what ends as road rage started as a misunderstanding or an incidental matter.
“Most of the time, it is not something intentional,” Cook said, noting that it is important to remember that before retaliating on the road.
He said that even if a driver believes another driver has intentionally wronged them, it is best to get away from that driver rather than engage angrily.
“In the event you find yourself first hand engaged in something like this where you believe someone is intentionally trying to harm you, take a step back, consider slowing down or taking the next exit,” Cook said. “Separate yourself from that vehicle.”
Cook and Patton asked motorists who experience or witness road rage incidents and other bad behavior on the roads not to engage with the offending driver but to call 911 when and where it can be done safely.