Payette County officials say shooter in road-rage incident ‘feared for his life’
A road-rage altercation that led to the fatal shooting of a 32-year-old Oregon man in Payette County on Monday morning occurred because the shooter “feared for his life,” according to the county Sheriff’s Office.
A post on Facebook on Tuesday said a 71-year-old from Boise “shot the driver” he said frightened him. The victim, identified as Charles Vincent Avery, 32, of Salem, Oregon, died at the scene.
The Sheriff’s Office said the two men were driving their vehicles and heading westbound on Interstate 84 on Monday before both exited the freeway at Black Canyon Road and headed south on Sand Hollow Road.
On Sand Hollow, the driver of a Kia, identified as Avery, stopped and parked, blocking the road, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Avery then exited his vehicle and physically confronted the 71-year-old, who was driving a Nissan, the post said.
“The Kia driver damaged the vehicle’s mirror, attempted to break out the driver’s side window, and eventually opened the driver’s side door,” according to the Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
That is when the Boise man fired his gun, officials said.
Law enforcement detained the 71-year-old man Monday and he cooperated with law enforcement, according to a Monday press release. No charges had been filed as of Tuesday morning.
The Payette County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing the details of the incident.
