An off-duty GBI agent stepped in to stop a violent road rage confrontation that ended in gunfire on a Madison County highway over the weekend.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says the incident started around noon Saturday on Highway 29 at Kimberly Circle.
A man was driving with his daughter when Earnest Howard, of Athens, allegedly passed them and began slamming on his brakes.
Howard eventually stopped his car, blocking the road, and walked toward the victim’s truck while yelling.
The victim got out of his truck with a revolver in his pocket, leading to a physical fight.
Investigators say Howard gained control of the victim’s gun and tried to shoot him.
RELATED: Person shot during road rage dispute in Madison County
The victim eventually regained control of the revolver and fired several shots.
An off-duty GBI agent driving by saw the struggle and pulled over to intervene, firing multiple rounds after seeing the victim discharge his weapon.
It is currently unclear exactly how many rounds were fired by each party or if the off-duty agent’s rounds struck anyone.
While the victim was not injured, the GBI has not specified the nature of the injuries Howard received before he fled the scene.
Howard, who fled into Clarke County before calling 911 to report he had been shot, now faces six different criminal charges.
Following his release from the hospital, he was booked into the Madison County Jail on charges of:
- Aggravated assault
- Battery
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
- Cruelty to children
- False imprisonment
- False imprisonment of a person under the age of 14
The Thomson GBI Regional Investigative Office has taken over the investigation into the aggravated assault and the officer-involved shooting.
The off-duty agent involved is typically assigned to the Athens GBI Regional Investigative Office.
