Austin/ Crime & Emergencies
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Published on July 19, 2024
Elgin Man Charged with Murder Following Fatal Road Rage Shooting on U.S. Highway 290 EastSource: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Elgin, Texas was the scene of a deadly confrontation Tuesday night following what is believed to be a road rage incident. According to CBS Austin, court documents revealed that 34-year-old Fabian Salas has been arrested and charged with the murder of Joseph Duane Stanczyk. Salas, who is in Travis County Jail on a $1 million bond, is accused of fatally shooting Stanczyk in the head after a physical altercation on U.S. Highway 290 East.

A witness described seeing a black GMC Sierra and a blue Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Salas and Stanczyk respectively, engaged in what seemed like a road rage battle, both vehicles speeding and aggressively cutting each other off. The confrontation reached its climax when both vehicles came to a stop at a traffic light. Stanczyk reportedly exited his vehicle to approach Salas, which led to a fight between the two men. After the fight, Salas is alleged to have drawn a firearm and shot Stanczyk in the head, "I did," he told police when asked who was responsible for the shooting, as detailed by CBS Austin.

As reported by KVUE, after Stanczyk and Salas engaged in a physical confrontation, the witness heard an exchange of words followed by Salas allegedly pulling out his gun and shooting Stanczyk in the face. Elgin police found Stanczyk's body by the side of the road, with Salas standing nearby; he had admitted to carrying a weapon and, during his arrest, indicated that Stanczyk "needed help" and allegedly confessed to the shooting.

The Elgin Police Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident, seeking anyone with additional information to come forward.  As per KVUE, Detective Ted Hernandez can be contacted at 737-226-1689 or through email at [email protected].