INDIANAPOLIS — State police say two drivers got into a road rage incident on Interstate 65 northbound near Franklin Friday. They say one of those drivers fired shots that hit the other car.
"Fortunately, nobody was injured in this one, but we happened to have a detective driving in the area who was able to get the suspect stopped almost right away," said Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine. "Unfortunately, almost every single day we're receiving emergency 911 calls of somebody pointing or displaying a firearm in a road rage situation. Not all those lead to shots being fired, but we have had over 40 interstate shootings so far this year in Indianapolis alone."
Police say the public also played a role in identifying a suspect.
"Certainly fortunate that we had a police officer in the right place the right time, but also the information that we received when somebody called 911 and gave us an accurate description of the vehicle, an accurate license plate number and location," said Perrine. "Those three things together allowed us to respond very quickly and get the suspect stopped before they got out of our area."
Perrine cautions everyone to not let emotions get the best of you behind the wheel.
"What you think is a simple honking the horn or hand gesture could lead to potentially deadly violence and it's all preventable," he said. "Be patient when you're driving, be patient with other drivers and understand people make mistakes while they're driving."
State police say they're working with the Johnson County Prosecutor's Office to determine charges in Friday's shooting.