A Texas City man was dealt a 40-year prison term on Tuesday after copping to the murder of a local restaurateur in a fatal road rage incident in 2022, Houston Chronicle reports. Messiah James Pickens-McCoy, 24, admitted guilt in the shooting death of Gregory Sharrets, owner of Bayou Bistro and Bar, which transpired alongside a bustling highway in Texas City.
Pickens-McCoy, who was arrested following a police chase, initially faced additional charges related to the pursuit and the firearm used during the confrontation. The charges were dismissed in the wake of his guilty plea, Houston Chronicle detailed. On January 26, 2022, Sharrets and Pickens-McCoy were driving next to each other when an attempt to merge seemingly triggered the exchange that culminated in gunfire, authorities said.
Caught on a dashcam video by an observing driver, the incident shows the moments leading up to where several shots were fired by Pickens-McCoy at Sharret's vehicle. According to ABC13, the footage was pivotal in the investigation, capturing the brazen attack on the busy highway.
While driving more than 100 miles per hour soon after the fatal altercation, a Texas City police officer spotted him, hearing the gunshots. Following a refusal to halt, Pickens-McCoy eventually parked in an apartment complex, according to investigators. Found in the vehicle, a Glock 9mm handgun, accompanied by an empty magazine, and a shell casing, solidified the case against him, says ABC13.
