DeKalb County

Truck driver shot at, says it’s not the first time he has been a victim of roadway violence

By Mark Winne, WSB-TV
By Mark Winne, WSB-TV

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A father said he was driving home from work when a stranger pulled up next to him and started shooting.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne found out this is not the first time the man has been targeted while driving.

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Chris Stewart drives a truck for a living, but he said he’s blessed to be living after a passenger in a small car or SUV on Interstate 20 westbound in DeKalb County opened fire on him as he drove his work truck home March 23.

“I thank God for still being here. I thank God for being who he is,” he said. “What words can tell you how fortunate I am to still be alive?”

Stewart said the bullets came dangerously close to him.

“The one in the passenger door, if it had came through, woulda probably hit me in my shoulder,” he said. “The one that hit the load that I was actually carrying if there wasn’t a box there, it probably would a hit me in the back of the head.”

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Dekalb Police Chief Mirtha Ramos said DeKalb has had 27 road rage incidents this year with three arrests.

“We have a road rage initiative that we’re running now,” he said.

The units in the initiative travel down highways or sit on the shoulder under blue lights.

“We’re trying really is just to provide high visibility and deter these acts from happening,” Ramos said.

Stewart said he was driving home in his truck when the other vehicle pulled in front of him. A passenger popped out of the sunroof and gestured angrily.

Stewart said his best guess for the passenger’s behavior was because he was driving slowly to be careful with his freight.

“He was just making the gestures like he was going to do something, so I threw my hands up like, ‘What are you talking about?’” he said.

Stewart said seconds later the gunfire erupted, with two shots hitting his truck.

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He said he was a victim of roadway crime once before. In 2013, a suspected drunk driver’s truck ran him down as he rode his motorcycle on I-285, also in DeKalb.

“He dragged me from Bouldercrest all the way to Flat Shoals,” Stewart said.

Stewart said when he told his wife about surviving this latest incident, “it was kind of a sigh, and then she said, ‘God must have a purpose for you.’”

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