A Dalton man has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses following an alleged road rage incident involving gunfire last Friday afternoon, per a statement from the Dalton Police Department. Twenty-two-year-old Alfredo Herrera, Jr., reported to reside on Old Grade Road, is said to have been taken into custody soon after the altercation which took place on East Morris Street, near railroad tracks downtown.
Authorities detailed that the incident unfolded when Herrera left Crescent City Tavern, got into his Ford Mustang, and performed a tire-spinning burnout on Depot Street – which might have propelled rocks toward or possibly struck a passing pickup truck occupied by a husband and wife; the couple believed their truck could have been hit by either debris or the Mustang itself. The pickup truck's driver confronted Herrera who "pulled a handgun and racked the slide as if chambering a round," FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The man returned to his vehicle at which point Herrera purportedly began shooting.
Following the reported shooting, no injuries were disclosed by the victims, who also noted uncertainty whether shots were aimed at them or fired into the air. According to the police, four shell casings were recovered at the scene, providing tangible evidence of the firearm's discharge. As for Herrera's attempt at evasion, it ended shortly thereafter when he was apprehended by officers at a red light on Glenwood Avenue, spurred by a 911 call from the victims and probable location of a nearby patrol officer.
Herrera is facing two counts of aggravated assault and one count of discharging a firearm within city limits, according to NewsChannel 9. The charges stem from a road rage incident that escalated into a potentially deadly confrontation. The situation reportedly began when the driver of a truck approached Herrera following an earlier incident involving a Mustang, leading to a heated exchange.
