A newly licensed teen and her family were victimized by road rage early Thursday evening when the driver of a pickup truck rammed their vehicle on the Shands Bridge, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
But a witness followed the pickup, and deputies arrested him at his home near Trout Creek, the Sheriff’s Office said.
William Larry Bennett, 24, of Collier Road was charged with three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one of leaving the scene of a crash, the Sheriff’s Office said. His bail is $6,000 bail.
The 16-year-old victim was with her 14-year-old brother and mother about 5:30 p.m. as they headed east over the bridge in a Toyota Highlander, the Sheriff’s Office said. The driver of a Dodge Ram started tailgating her and eventually rear-ended the small sport-utility vehicle three times as he honked, flashed his lights and gestured and yelled at them.
The young driver told deputies she was afraid of being pushed off the bridge by the pickup, which continued to follow her until she pulled over to await deputies.
Another motorist who saw the incident continued to follow the pickup until the driver stopped in the middle of the road and began walking toward her, the Sheriff’s Office said. She began to call the Sheriff’s Office, and he returned to his truck.
Deputies found Bennett and his damaged truck at his home. He told deputies she was driving too slowly, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Source: jacksonville.com
