Imagine you and your boyfriend are driving back to your apartment after spending time in the big city. The small community is about a 20-minute drive away. Suddenly a man cuts you off and you honk your horn. You don't know what was happening to the driver, but your horn was the last straw.
Now let's get out of the driver's seat and focus on a young woman (age unknown) and her 22-year-old boyfriend. She was driving. As her pickup truck pulled in front of her, she honked her horn. [I’d like to point out that honking at someone after they’ve done something you don’t like IS you voicing your dislike of their actions—honking won’t change what the person has done. It’s an act of aggression on your part. Of course, there are times when a honk is appropriate – like when someone is backing out of a parking space and about to hit you.]
The 35-year-old man driving the truck followed the couple to their apartment building.
When the woman stopped her car near her apartment, the truck driver jumped out of his car and lunged at the couple's vehicle, where he punched the woman in the face. The boyfriend chased the truck to get the license plate number, the driver did a 'donut' around the boyfriend, and then something crazy happened… According to a witness, the truck driver intentionally ran over her boyfriend.
The boyfriend died from his injuries.
A county attorney involved in the case said:
“This defendant’s uncontrollable actions cost the life of an innocent victim. “Road rage is a criminal offense that occurs far too often in our state (Arizona).”
Authorities tracked down the truck driver and arrested him. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated assault. The judge sentenced him. 25 years in prison.
Here is an interesting article from Forbes Advisor on “States with the Most Confrontational Drivers in 2024.” You might think that honking your horn in and of itself would be non-confrontational. Honking is not about what you think, it's about what the person honking thinks about honking (as in this true crime). Check your state's ranking of 'road rage' incidents. Forbes Advisor Article
Source: Arizona Superior Court, County Attorney's Office, Law & Crime