HOUSTON – Road Rage incidents are on the rise in and around the Houston area, according to officials.
“We have seen a rise in these types of cases, meaning firearms waved, (people) shot at during altercations that begin on the freeway or on roads,” said Sean Teare, the Chief of the vehicular crimes division at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
KPRC 2 has covered at least nine road rage cases since October 6.
The most recent case happened Wednesday on Beltway 8 in Southwest Houston where a man was shot in both arms.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported 889 calls for service involving road rage in 2021. In 2020, there were 831.
One of the cases that made headlines across our area was the death of 17-year-old David Castro.
“It’s terrible. Every day sucks, and the holidays are coming up and there’s going to be an empty seat at the table,” said David’s father, Paul Castro.
Castro was shot in the head on his way home from an Astros game with his dad.
“It’s happening more and more and I’m afraid people will think this is the new normal,” Paul said.
Teare said it’s unclear what’s causing the spike in cases, but believes the pandemic and number of guns on our streets could be playing a part.
“We’re in Texas, and in Texas, we love our guns. I think the fact that a lot of people in this country and in this community have firearms are going to contribute to when people lose their temper, and quite frankly, lose their mind on the road,” said Teare.