KEMP, Texas — A Crowley, Texas, man arrested in connection with a road rage shooting incident in Kemp on Friday.
KEMP, Texas — A Crowley, Texas, man arrested in connection with a road rage shooting incident in Kemp on Friday.
Narcotics, weapons, and personal identification information for two females were seized from the man's work vehicle at the time of his arrest, according to police.
On February 2, 2018, at approximately 2:36 p.m., a Kemp Police Department officer was conducting a traffic stop in the area of westbound U.S. Highway 175 near Business 175 when a motorist stopped to notify the officer he had just been involved in a road rage incident in which the suspect shot at his vehicle.
Police observed a gunshot in the victim's vehicle, in front of the driver's door, and issued a be-on-the-lookout notification for a Ford utility van with "Quick Roofing" displayed on the sides.
A second Kemp Police Department officer observed the suspect vehicle traveling southbound on State Highway 274 and initiated a felony traffic stop, Kemp Police Department Chief Brad DeLaughter told inForney.com.
36-year-old Jonas Quintin Root of Crowley, Texas, was taken into custody without further incident.
During the road rage incident, the victim told police he attempted to avoid further confrontation by exiting U.S. Highway 175 at SH 274 but, Root fire upon his vehicle anyways. The victim re-entered the highway which positioned Root's vehicle behind the victim's vehicle. When the victim stopped to speak with the Kemp officer on the highway, the officer observed the van turn back eastbound on U.S. Highway 175.
When Root was arrested and the driver side door was opened, a spent .380-caliber casing fell out of the driver side door, according to DeLaughter.
"An inventory of the vehicle yielded a cache of weapons including a loaded 380 caliber handgun (with 5 rounds remaining out of 6), brass knuckles, several knives, and even a loaded AR 15 magazine with no rifle," he said.
Police also discovered marijuana, several prescription pills not prescribed to Root, and a clear baggy containing the remnants of a substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Identification, credit cards, and personal banking information for two different females were also discovered in Root's vehicle, according to DeLaughter.
"There were some additional items in the vehicle that give me great concern for the welfare of at least one of the females, whose identification was located in the vehicle," he said. "I am working with other agencies in the in the D/FW area to make certain that these women are safe and will not rest until this is ascertained."
"It was determined that the suspect not only had an extensive criminal history, but also no driver license," he said.
"It is very alarming that to all that this individual was allowed access to this vehicle," stated DeLaughter. "It is for this reason, that I will be meeting with the District Attorney’s to pursue seizure of the vehicle from Quick Roofing of Kennedale, Tx."
The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit assisted in processing the scene which included bullet trajectory related to the victims vehicle as well as gunshot residue swabs of the suspect.
Root was booked into the Kaufman County Jail with charges for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a $40,000 bond, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 1 less than one gram on a bond of $12,000, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 4 greater than or equal to 28 grams and less than 200 grams on a bond of $20,000, possession of marijuana under two ounces with a bond of $2,500, prohibited weapons - knuckles with a $1,500 bond, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon with a $20,000 bond.