HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Last week a 59 year old man was arrested after a road rage incident in Plant City.
New data show that the incident is part of a broader trend. A new report from Grigor Law Injury and Car Accident Lawyers shows that Florida now ranks second in the nation for the most dangerous state for angry road confrontations.
One of the key reasons we know more about these incidents is more drivers are recording them.
Eric Kennedy witnessed the incident in Plant City and caught it all on his dash cam. He described what he saw.
Eric Kennedy said, “He tried to hit her she avoided getting hit then, when that didn’t work, he got out and attacked her car, smashed her window in.”
Kennedy shared that video with police. He said that is the exact reason he decided to get a dash cam, because he was seeing more aggression on local roadways.
“These things are happening all the time. I can’t get on the interstate without seeing some sort of angry driving.”
Prosecutors say dash-cam video is becoming a key piece of evidence in road-rage cases. Tampa Bay 28 spoke to State Attorney Suzy Lopez to learn more.
“Videos in so many cases are absolutely invaluable. I grew up in a generation where we didn’t have photographs. We didn’t have cameras. We didn’t have video tapes everywhere, sometimes that might be a good thing, but for right now it can be very very helpful in the prosecution of so many cases,” Lopez said.
Lopez said her office is seeing more dash-cam video and cell phone videos being used in these types of cases.
“We are definitely seeing an uptick of dash cam videos coming in as evidence in our office. People are having dash cams,” Lopez said.
We also spoke to Sara Marin from Rubenstein Law. She shared what victims can do if they are involved in an incident like this.
Marin said, “You obviously in the state of Florida have stand your ground. You are able to protect yourself and use means to protect yourself, If you do reasonably think you are in danger.”
She said if you see a road rage incident or are involved in one, call 911, lock your doors, roll up your windows, and prioritize your safety until authorities arrive to help.
Share Your Story with Keely
From Brandon to Plant City and Sun City Center, Keely McCormick is dedicated to helping people who live in East Hillsborough County. If you have concerns about new development, access to needed resources, or the roads in your neighborhood, share your ideas with Keely below.
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