Road rage incidents can result in deadly tragedies. This situation appears to fall into that category. Per the New York Post, on Saturday night in Catawba, North Carolina, a man named Terrell Eugene Giddens, 75, allegedly shot and killed Jeffrey Michael Guida, 40, as a result of a "traffic altercation." Eyewitnesses claim that Giddens fired his weapon at Guida's vehicle, which had his three young kids inside. The youngsters, ages 2, 11, and 13, were reportedly unharmed.
Capt. Aaron Turk of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office reportedly said to WBTV via the Post, "It certainly could have been worse if the children were injured or killed."
Sadly, those youngsters lost their dad in this horrible and senseless way.
Neighbors Reacted To The Shocking Crime That Claimed Jeffrey Guida's Life
They Are Wondering Why In The World It Happened
A modest memorial with flowers now marks the site of this shooting. People expressed their feelings of grief and shock at the sad loss of life that occurred here, per WBTV. They are bewildered and stunned. One said, "I would say my heart just goes out to you. I feel so bad."
Dennis Couch, a neighbor, said, "It's unbelievable, isn't it? That something like that could happen right here in my neighborhood."
A longtime defense attorney, Herb Perce, said, "Sounds like the guy just snapped." Perce does not have a connection to the case. He was present in the courtroom for Giddens' hearing. He added, "It's just a shame the man got killed, it's just the shame of it. And this man will probably spend the rest of his life in prison."
Another neighbor, Rose, said, "You think about it and it makes you sick to your stomach to think that somebody like that would happen."
What Led Up To The Lethal Shooting
Jeffrey Guida And Terrell Eugene Giddens Apparently Got Out Of Their Vehicles
Witnesses supposedly said that both men pulled over and exited their vehicles at the intersection of North View Harbor Drive and Island Point Road. When law enforcement personnel arrived, they found Guida dead. They were able to locate Giddens with information from people who said they had observed what happened between the two men.
Per the outlet, "Giddens was arrested and charged with murder and three counts of first-degree attempted murder, according to the sheriff's office."
What Causes Road Rage?
Some Likely Causes Of This Phenomenon Have Been Pinpointed
This incident in North Carolina is evidently being treated a road rage situation, at least at this point. The American Psychological Association (APA) states that there are some typical contributing factors such as anxiety, stress, congested roads, substance abuse, risky driving, aggression, impulsiveness, and displaced anger.
The APA concluded that "it appears to be the mix of temperament and environment that lights the fuse."
