A July 1st road rage incident turned tragic in Tempe, Arizona, when a man was fatally shot at an intersection with children present in both vehicles, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The accused, Dustin Jackson, 46, stands charged with first-degree murder and drive-by shooting, after opening fire near Warner Road and Priest Drive.
During the heated exchange, Steven Bevan, 29, was killed while his eight and nine-year-old sons were in the car. In court documents, authorities claim Jackson was driving his black GMC Sierra with his six-year-old daughter when Bevan allegedly brake-checked Jackson's vehicle. Seen mouthing something, Bevan approached Jackson's truck empty-handed, 12 News reports. Jackson, who claimed he feared for his life and that of his daughter, fired his Springfield Hellcat 9mm through his windshield as the victim reached around his back.
The dramatic incident was captured on video by one of Bevan's sons from the backseat. The footage appears to show Bevan accelerating, stopping, then getting out and approaching Jackson’s vehicle while nothing was visibly held in his hands. After a verbal exchange, a gunshot is heard, and Bevan is seen clutching his chest before returning to his own car.
No witnesses at the scene reported seeing a weapon on Bevan, and a subsequent search of his vehicle also turned up empty of any dangerous instruments. In contrast, during the search of Jackson's vehicle, police found a substance that tested positive for cocaine. Jackson's attorney, Jeff Kerr, has defended his client’s actions as self-defense. "Mr. Jackson has asserted that his actions were justified in self-defense," Kerr told FOX 10 Phoenix, adding that Jackson was unaware of the drugs found in his vehicle.
Jackson made his first court appearance recently, where a secured appearance bond was set at $1 million. As per FOX 10 Phoenix, should Jackson post bail, he will face strict monitoring conditions, including alcohol and drug testing. His preliminary hearing is set for July 10.
