INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – Prosecutors have charged Tony Nguyen, 22, with discharging/shooting a firearm from a motor vehicle. The incident happened along Interstate 70 in Independence on Thursday. Nguyen is currently in the Jackson County Detention Center, being held on $50,000 bond.
According to a probable cause statement, a man was driving a black 2006 Dodge Ram eastbound on I-70 west of S. Noland Rd. and cut off a gold Honda Accord. The driver of the Accord, identified later as Nguyen, became incensed, displaying obscene hand gestures and yelling profanities.
The two vehicles continued traveling and the Dodge Ram driver said he observed Nguyen point and aim a Glock semi-automatic handgun at his vehicle. He said Nguyen fired two rounds, one striking the right front tire.
When contacted by police, Nguyen said that he was involved in the road rage incident. He said he had been intimidated by both the driver and passenger in the Dodge Ram. He stated he brandished a Glock semi-automatic handgun in hopes that the occupants would quit pursuing him.
Nguyen then said that he exchanged hand gestures with the occupants of the Dodge Ram and they continued to pursue him. He admitted in the probable cause statement that he pointed his Glock at the right front tire and fired one round, striking the tire.
Nguyen is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on August 7th, court records to do not currently list an attorney for him. His charge is a class B felony in Missouri.
