ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – No charges have been filed against two drivers who exchanged gunfire Tuesday morning along Interstate 44 in Fenton Eureka.
The gunfire happened during the 8 a.m. hour on eastbound I-44 at the Bowles Avenue exit, according to Trooper Dallas Thompson, Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The two drivers continued on I-44 east and stopped on the side of the highway at the Bowles exit in Fenton. The drivers began shooting at one another.
One driver was struck in the hand and went to the hospital. Their injury was not life-threatening. The other driver drove off but stopped at I-270 and Gravois to call authorities.
St. Louis County police took one person into custody. That individual was later released.
Thompson said the highway patrol has noted an uptick in road rage cases over the last two or three years. He offered a word of caution for anyone who finds themselves in a tense situation with another driver.
“For some reason, we seem to be in a climate where people seem to pull a gun out and aim it at somebody. Now, we’re seeing a lot more where they’re actually pulling a gun out and shooting people,” Thompson said. “So, you don’t know what kind of mindset that person has that’s pulling a gun out that you might be in a verbal altercation with. You don’t know what could stem from that. So, take an exit, slow down, put some distance between you guys. And when it’s safe, dial 911 or *55 and report that to law enforcement and let us handle the incident.”