A Dallas man remained in jail Tuesday on charges that he assaulted another motorist during an alleged road rage incident on Texas 114 in Grapevine in which he reportedly drove away from the scene.
Thankfully, off-duty Grapevine police Officer William Lain was driving in his own car and witnessed the incident.
Alcohol was also listed as a factor in the incident, according to Grapevine police reports.
Grapevine police identified the man as James Darrel Wilson, 42, of Dallas. He was in the Grapevine Jail in lieu of $11,000 bail. He is expected to be charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, endangering a child and criminal mischief.
An unidentified man was driving with his wife, his 9-year-old daughter and their dog in their BMW when he was cut off by Wilson, who was driving his pickup truck. Wilson pulled up beside the other man and cursed at the people in the BMW. The two vehicles stopped on the side of the highway and the pickup driver and his passenger got out of their vehicle and continued to yell at the BMW driver.
Then, Wilson got into his truck, leaving the door open, and backed into the BMW driver with the door and the car!
After being hit, the BMW driver tried to get the pickup driver to stop, and was dragged about 100 feet as he was hanging on the door! The BMW driver eventually let go of the door and rolled onto the roadway. The pickup driver only stopped once he realized that he had left his passenger near the BMW.
Wow, what is going on out there? This frightening episode is an inexcusable offense, not only because of the incredibly idiotic road rage but also because, once again, a motorist was drinking and driving.
I have represented people hurt by road raging/drunk drivers and it infuriates me. In a resent survey, Dallas-Fort Worth was ranked second in cities with the worst road rage and most aggressive drivers, with New York City taking first place. Great.
If you have been hurt by a road raging or drunk driver, please call me. I will fight hard to recover your damages and punish the offending driver.