tv 2020 ABC June 29, 2018 10:01pm-11:00pm PDT
10:01 pm
abcnews.go.com/what would you do. please, join in on the conversation on facebook and twitter. i'm john quinones. "20/20" starts right now. >> oh, my god! >> tonight on "20/20." road rage in america. are we at a breaking point? tonight the stunning new cases here. we all witnessed it. is road rage going further than ever before? >> holy cow. >> this evening what would you do? more importantly what should you do? >> i don't see you touching it now though. get out of my [ bleep ]. >> important tips that can help you protect your family. >> we noticed this lady in my rearview mirror just weaving. >> that was just the beginning. >> she just hit our car. she's pushing us off the road. put it in reverse. she's knocking on our window
10:02 pm
saying she's a cop. >> for some road rage could be deadly. >> if i would have known it would have ended that way, i never would have followed him. >> she had every opportunity to not chase my brother. >> this is now a murder case. >> what's leading to this freeway fury in america? good evening i'm david muir. millions of americans are getting ready to travel for the holid holid holiday. it can be the perfect storm for road rages. tonight the stunning cases that have the authorities sounding the alarm. here's eva pilgrim. >> reporter: we all have it in us. even if we don't know exactly where it is. a limit, a breaking point, a dark place where civilization ends and animal instinct takes over. >> we have two victims here. >> reporter: you've seen the stories leading your local news. >> another case of road rage in
10:03 pm
the metro area. >> reporter: and polluting youtube. what feels like a daily diet of road rage reports, there's this shocking video of an incident o a multi-car crash. nearly half of all drivers surveyed have experienced some form of road rage. >> and here in denver, the mile-high city motorists are hitting new lows. >> reporter: local officials reporting, deadly traffic crashes have been slowly creeping up for several years. >> we know you're fed up. so are we. >> reporter: just last week this 23-year old man, formally charged with shooting four people in a suspected road rage incident near denver. >> people horrified by the shooting are placing flowers in the parking lot where four people were gunned down in an unbelievable display of apparent road rage violence. >> reporter: jeremy webster now faces 11-felony counts including first degree murder of a 13-year old passenger.
10:04 pm
so, what's going on here? we wanted to see for ourselves. and, it didn't take long for us to find it. "rocky mountain rage." >> golly, that guy! he was almost in our lane. you want reasons? look around. this city's rush hour turns freeways into ant farms. it's a stop and go sea of brake lights. it's not moving up there. >> reporter: what typically should be a 30-minute commute, can take nearly an hour and a half. enough to turn any driver into a ticking time bomb. >> i was surprised at how bad the traffic is in denver. >> it's heavy. heavy, it's crowded, and it's aggressive. >> reporter: major jeff goodwin of the colorado state patrol is fighting the uphill battle against an army of hot tempered motorists.
10:05 pm
>> don't [ bleep ] touch me. >> there is that group of individuals that get up helter-skelter every morning, no plan, but they're never on time. so now they're running late, and they've good make up time, so how do they it? they do it by pushing people out of the way, cutting them off, changing from the inside left lane all the way to the exit ramp right as they get there. >> reporter: goodwin believes he's pinpointed the root of the problem. with more than 100,000 people transplanting to denver every year, its as simple as too many metal machines, not enough pavement. >> i used to think it was something like people cutting you off, but you know one of the things that people really get a age -- angry about is that if somebody honks the horn at you because you've sat too look at a light. i think they literally from doctor jekyll to mister hyde. >> reporter: we showed the good major goodwin some examples of bad behavior and he provided us some potentially life-saving road rules to help you. it could be any of us. take a look at these guys in
10:06 pm
business attire doing the "wwe smackdown." rule number one. don't make eye contact. >> this motorist is out of control. and the victim is doing all the right things. >> stare ahead, don't engage? >> the minute you engage. who knows where this goes. >> reporter: rule number two. never approach the window. >> all right, wow. okay, this is more than over the top because you now have a gun involved. >> you're going to pull a gun out? >> you never know who's packing heat? >> exactly. >> is approaching someone's window ever a good idea? >> never do it. >> reporter: and most important, rule number three. you don't always have to win. >> looks like it's going to be over. >> reporter: but as we see in this case from houston, the parties involved just can't help themselves. >> here we go. >> i mean now they're at full blown fist fight.
10:07 pm
>> the longer, this goes, the worse it's gonna get. >> so that's how we finish it. >> it looks like they just need to win the argument. >> that's what it is. >> oh [ bleep ]. >> reporter: it was 4:15 when we hit the roads with goodwin and his team. they prowled the interstate looking for bad behavior. >> we're looking for aggressive drivers. >> reporter: triggers which often lead to the road rage we see on the news. >> so, this is a 75-mile limit? >> so, we're doin' 17 in a 75 at rush hour. >> i got a lady who was texting if you want to pull her over. >> reporter: within minutes, goodwin's team has spotted a common breed. a texter at the wheel. he says distracted driving, the number one offense that sends drivers into road rage. >> how does that end up leading to road rage? >> well, when she's texting, she not paying attention to everybody else out here. >> reporter: next, we cross paths with a leadfoot speedster, the deadliest kind of aggressive driver.
10:08 pm
>> i could see him in the rearview mirror weaving in and out. he was trying to find that opening. >> and that's when people get mad? >> yeah, right. >> reporter: it was now 5:45, the road rage witching hour. goodwin says the peak time for trouble. and the cops had busted this aggressive driver for skipping the off ramp and blazing her own trail all together. >> right now, there is a warrant for your arrest? >> what? oh, my gosh! >> reporter: her prize, some new bracelets and a ride in the fast lane to county lock-up. >> she doesn't have a valid driver's license either. so that's been canceled and denied so she shouldn't be driving anyways. >> reporter: we'd found ourselves at a notorious hotspot. >> so this, right here, is where we have a lot of our issues where we discovered our share of rush-hour restlessness. >> so, people will be so frustrated. they will come off the frontage road. and then they actually will do this, believe it or not, they will drive here.
10:09 pm
>> holy cow! this is so steep! >> and, they will find that steep drop down to the interstate. >> woo hoo! >> and they will bounce their way back onto interstate 25. all because they are angry about sitting in traffic. >> reporter: we spot this guy who thought he could bypass all the drivers ahead of him riding along the road's dusty shoulder. but he's going nowhere, fast, today. >> sir, do me a favor and stay in your car while we do this business. you passed about seven or eight cars on the shoulder. that's not a lane for turning. >> reporter: like many road rogues, this guy's idea of defensive driving is making excuses for his alleged moving violations. he even calls 9-1-1 to complain about being pulled over. >> he stopped me first on the train tracks with a train coming down the road. >> now that he's caught he's upset. he's not in agreement at all.
10:10 pm
that's his beef. >> there goes a guy! there he goes! >> reporter: check out this blue truck. the driver has jumped the median, passing up other cars, high-tailing it the wrong way into oncoming traffic. >> reporter: major goodwin pulls him over hand on the holster. >> what was it? you got kids in the car. >> i haven't seen anyone drive that aggressively in years. he was doing 90 miles an hour in the left lane. he damn near hit several cars back there. >> i charged him with reckless driving. he just didn't plan on having any law enforcement to stop him today. >> reporter: and don't think it's just a y chromosome thing. >> you see a lot of aggressive driving from both sexes. >> everybody drives crazy. >> yeah. >> reporter: when we come back, we'll prove it to you. >> dude, she is so [ bleep ] crazy. she just hit my [ bleep ] car. >> reporter: a wild woman at the wheel.
10:11 pm
>> we go around and she speeds up. >> we just couldn't get away from her. >> reporter: and two damsels in distress trying to rescue themselves! highway horror show when "freeway fury" continues. ♪listen up and i'll tell a story♪ ♪about an artist growing old♪ ♪some would try for fame and glory♪ ♪others aren't so bold ♪the artist walks among the flowers♪ ♪appreciating the sun ♪why do you only do that only?♪
10:12 pm
♪but is it really so wrong? ♪why do you only do that only?♪ what makes my famous brisket, chicken marinade, and punch so good? [whispering] a lemon-lime secret ingredient i'm never going to tell... 7up! ha ha. ahhh. who's hungry? do more with 7up. ♪ if you love me, love♪ like you say ♪ darling tell me all the ways ♪ ♪ tell me all the ways ♪ all the ways at the store, or to your door. target run and done. i saw my leg did not look right. i landed. i was just finishing a ride. i felt this awful pain in my chest.
10:13 pm
i had a pe blood clot in my lung. i was scared. i had a dvt blood clot. having one really puts you in danger of having another. my doctor and i chose xarelto®. xarelto®. to help keep me protected. xarelto® is a latest-generation blood thinner that's... proven to treat and reduce the risk of dvt or pe blood clots from happening again. in clinical studies, almost 98% of patients on xarelto® did not experience another dvt or pe. xarelto® works differently. warfarin interferes with at least 6 of your body's natural blood-clotting factors. xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor. don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase risk of blood clots. while taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. it may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. get help right away for unexpected bleeding or unusual bruising. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. before starting, tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures and any kidney or liver problems.
10:14 pm
learn all you can... to help protect yourself from another dvt or pe. talk to your doctor about xarelto®. >> announcer: "20/20" continues with nick watt. >> reporter: two young women, out on the open california highway. >> you've been friends how long? >> about a year. we had boyfriends that were friends. and then we kicked them to the curb, and then we stayed friends. >> okay. >> we knew what was good for us. >> reporter: carefree, on their way for a fun weekend in reno. cell service is fading, the road is getting quiet. and lurking far behind in their
10:15 pm
rearview, a truck driving fast, aggressive, right towards them. sounds like the open to a slasher flick, but this tale is as dark and real as a hot coat of tar across i80 and you're about to see it play out in real time. meet vanessa and delanie. vanessa a student and waitress, delanie, a former miss california contestant now also a waitress. the duo just looking to let off some service industry steam. >> looking forward to us drinking and not serving drinks. we weren't in a bad mood. we were by no means in a hurry. that wasn't us that day. >> reporter: i jumped in vanessa's car, and we headed north to unspool the rest of our tale. >> we saw her in the rearview mirror cutting between cars and i would say that was trouble, but i didn't think we were personally in trouble. >> reporter: then, delanie broke a cardinal rule of road rage prevention, flipping the bird. >> at what point did you flip her the bird? >> after it had been going on for i'd say a good ten minutes.
10:16 pm
>> in life in general, are you a flipping off type of person? >> no! i'm normally really calm. did you wanna stngle me? >> w >> but y would nev eec kn? >> reporter: actually, experts say that's exactly what you can expect. you never know who you're flipping off and where their head's at. >> when you add a little finger into that, maybe the one finger salute. that creates crazy in a heartbeat. >> reporter: whether it was delanie's salty salute or not, the truck inexplicably began to try and push vanessa off the road. that's when delanie starts filming her home-made horror flick. >> like, i almost want to stop and pull over at an exit and -- >> no! because then she'll get out of the car. >> dude, i don't know what to [ bleep ] do! >> she's in the slow lane next to me and she just starts pushing me, like coming into my lane and pushing me into the shoulder, of the fast lane, to the point where i have nowhere else to go. i have to come to a complete stop in the middle of the highway. >> reporter: delanie calls 911, but reception is bad.
10:17 pm
finally, summer barton answers their life line. >> and do you remember what you thought when delanie first called in? >> okay, this one's real. like, this is serious. >> just drive. just keep driving. >> i can't, dude! >> i know. just keep driving as well as you can. you're fine, i promise. hi, we have a really bad emergency on highway 90 or highway 80. we have a vehicle that has been following us, telling us that she's a cop and keeps trying to tell us to pull over. she's swerving us off the road, she keeps trying to hit us off the road. >> i'm [ bleep ] freaking out! dude, she's going to [ bleep ] kill me! >> yes, she just hit our car, she just hit our car! she's pushing us off of the road! yeah, she's pushing us off the road. she's coming for us! put it in reverse -- put it in reverse, vanessa! put it in reverse! >> reporter: suddenly, this woman jumps out of the truck, and runs to delanie's window. >> she's in a explorer. it's a ford explorer. it says sport track. it's silver. she's saying that she's a cop. >> don't -- >> she's knocking on our window saying she's a cop.
10:18 pm
go ahead and go. >> go. >> that's scary when you hear what's going on. >> that's scary when you hear what's going on. >> the hardest thing was looking straight forward, talking to the 911 operator saying, "she's pounding on my window and i don't know what to do." >> and we both said later, like, what if she had a gun? turns out, the california woman with the richter scale rage issue was deirdre orozco. that badge? from her job at a senior living facility the closet thing orozco came to being law enforcement, she was once a bail bond agent and i'll bet you a new set of rims you won't guess where she'd just come from. >> she'd literally just been out of jail for, you know, hours before attacking us. >> reporter: yep, this home movie is actually a sequel. four days earlier orozco had crossed paths with this guy, dane larsson. happened in sacramento at this very intersection. >> and i'm just sitting here. and that's when i hear it. and she's comin' up, blarin' her horn. >> she comes up behind horn
10:19 pm
blaring and just hits you, bang? >> she was, like, tryin' to push me outta the way. >> uh huh. like that? >> exactly -- >> reporter: orozco ended up parked on the lawn of a house a mile or two away. >> she was going crazy. >> reporter: now she's been released on bail and back on the attack, hauling a wide load of anger management issues in that two-ton truck. >> dude, she is so [ bleep ] crazy. she just hit my [ bleep ] car. >> she hit us. okay. >> well, your main goal was to figure out where they are. >> okay, um, it says next right fuel. >> reporter: summer knows that just down the road from that gas station is this chp outpost. she tells the women to exit to the gas station, and hopes the police can intercept. >> you're her lifeline? >> uh-huh. >> how does that make you feel? >> responsible, you know, for her safety. >> okay. there's an officer right now with us.
10:20 pm
okay. thank you so much ma'am. >> this is where it happened. >> reporter: today, we've arranged a little surprise. >> and these are the officers who were there. >> i'm not crying. >> ah, just a little bit. >> can we just give you guys a hug? "thank you" isn't enough. >> i'm sorry that you had to deal with her. i will never forget you yelling, "get in the car." thank you. >> you're welcome. >> reporter: and we are not done yet with the surprises. >> this lady is summer. >> hi. >> hi summer. >> who you were talking to on the phone. >> hi, thank you. >> reporter: deirdre orozco was arrested there and then. here she is in court, ready for some more demolition derby. >> did she go easily? >> i wouldn't say that. i wouldn't say easily. she was kinda feisty. >> reporter: orozco ultimately pleaded no contest to charges of assault with a deadly weapon, her truck, and making threats to
10:21 pm
commit a crime resulting in death in both cases. >> whatever's the most expeditious way. that's what i want to do. >> reporter: sentenced to 925 days in county jail, and five years probation. orozco declined our offer of an interview. >> did you make it to reno? >> we did make it to reno, shooken up. >> it wasn't quite the girl's weekend you had in mind? >> no! >> didn't start on the right foot so well. >> reporter: to review: aside from flipping the bird, these women did everything right, they avoided eye contact, remained in the car, and called the cops. >> it worked out well. >> reporter: but there are those who'd rather play policeman themselves. when we come back, a wild ride with colorado's own fur-capped road avenger. >> get the [ bleep ] out of my [ bleep ]. have a good day, [ bleep ]! >> reporter: law enforcement says he's a vigilante, taking the law and a video camera into his own hands. >> i'm just floored at the fact that you keep doing this.
10:22 pm
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ for the hustle, for the grind. introducing 1850 coffee. inspired by the year the folger coffee company began. fire-roasted and steel-cut, with a bold yet smooth taste. new 1850 coffee. begin boldly. the red one is more haribogooder to me cos it tastes like berries. they're really squishy. and then i'm gonna fly it in to my mouth. ♪ kids and grown ups love it ♪o
10:23 pm
♪ the happy world of haribo ♪ wearing powerful sunscreen? yes! neutrogena® ultra sheer. unbeatable protection helps prevent early skin aging and skin cancer with a clean feel. the best for your skin. ultra sheer®. neutrogena®. you are a mess. ♪ that's better. [hiccups] life gets messy. get clorox. disney pixar's incredibles 2 now playing. disney pixar's incredibles 2 ♪ (phone message chime) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ my di ne to shave my a1c.r to stay in control. weekends are my time. i need an insulin that fits my schedule. ♪ tresiba® ready ♪ (announcer) tresiba® is used to control high blood sugar
10:24 pm
in adults with diabetes. don't use tresiba® to treat diabetic ketoacidosis, during episodes of low blood sugar, or if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. don't share needles or insulin pens. don't reuse needles. the most common side effect is low blood sugar, which may cause dizziness, sweating, confusion, and headache. check your blood sugar. low blood sugar can be serious and may be life-threatening. injection site reactions may occur. tell your prescriber about all medicines you take and all your medical conditions. taking tzds with insulins, like tresiba®, may cause serious side effects like heart failure. your insulin dose shouldn't be changed without asking your prescriber. get medical help right away if you have trouble breathing, fast heartbeat, extreme drowsiness, swelling of your face, tongue or throat, dizziness, or confusion. ask your health care provider if you're tresiba® ready. covered by most insurance and medicare plans. ♪ tresiba® ready ♪
10:25 pm
10:26 pm
sarasota, florida. authorities say motorcycle versus car clashes usually start when, in the biker's mind at least, the bigger vehicle doesn't demonstrate due respect. >> you see, right there, he actually taps another biker who appears to have brake checked him a little bit. >> reporter: this notorious 2013 scene on new york's henry hudson parkway was no exception. >> you can see it. he's stopped. the car's over here. all of these bikes around, he's trying to through. >> oh my, god! >> reporter: the driver of this suv fleeing, he says out of fear, running over a biker leading to this chaotic chase through the streets of new york city. >> i mean, that's the worst-case scenario, you act out, you're in fear of your life, you're going to get the heck out of there, but then they're gonna get you. and, so this gang mentality develops amongst all these bikers and your clearly see they're gonna get ya! >> he's got his wife and his baby inside. >> unbelievable. >> reporter: last year, in san francisco, highway history repeats itself as these bikers attack this lyft driver in his toyota camry.
10:27 pm
>> a driver was beaten and seriously injured after an altercation with five dirt bikers. >> reporter: five of those bikers were later arrested and charged. they all pled not guilty. >> so look, look at this now. you take the guy down. it's all on camera. >> reporter: closer to home, in goodwin's back yard of colorado, this frightening case of mustang versus motorcycle. >> they were both egging each other on, and look at this. you have this drastic move to make a point, so there's your last word. and it could have killed the guy. >> it's all about respect. and we see this all the time, where someone's willing to use a vehicle as a deadly weapon to take somebody else out. >> reporter: now, as if major goodwin did not have enough on his hands, he's had to deal with one motorcyclist turned vigilante. you're about to meet denver's own dark knight. his name is devin jones. >> you just can you tell me off stupid. >> reporter: his alter ego we'll
10:28 pm
call the road avenger. >> it's kind of a crazy outfit. >> yeah, i look ridiculous. >> do you think you're a super hero? >> no, no, not -- not really. >> reporter: jones may not cop to it, but these videos he once posted on youtube tell another story, the story of a man, his motorcycle and helmet cam. >> reporter: a vlogger who now goes by the online name opflex on youtube and twitch, devin jones was once obsessed with publicly shaming anyone he perceived as a roadside wrongdoer. these videos, and his one-time, 150, 000 youtube subscribers are how he pieced totgether a paycheck. here's a man devin said was guilty of a trifecta of transgressions, grazing behind the wheel, surfing while
10:29 pm
driving, and running a stop sign. >> i know you feel really cool but you should put the salad and your phone down. most people will only go with one. what's the logic? >> there's no logic. >> i call him an agitator, because he doesn't need to do this. >> a little self-righteous, you think? >> i think so, absolutely! >> put the [ bleep ] phone down. >> reporter: but as far as devin's was concerned, the cops could be road hazards too. here, he dared to pull over an officer who, he claimed, was driving while on his phone. >> that's road rage. >> no. i was honking because you are on your phone and i needed you to get off so we could travel smoothly. >> you stopped me from doing my job. >> i didn't want to talk to you. i just wanted you off your phone. >> reporter: where did this come from, this motivation to confront perceived roadside dangers? from years of experience on even deadlier highways. >> i joined the army in 2006
10:30 pm
when i was 17, as a combat engineer. i deployed to iraq and to afghanistan doing ied route clearance. >> that's a pretty dangerous job. >> yes, it's pretty much the most dangerous job. >> reporter: at one point, jones had taken to handing out business cards, so people could view themselves later on youtube. in this instance, he confronted a man who he said wouldn't let him change lanes. >> here you go. you'll see yourself on here later. >> reporter: the card was not received well. >> he feels like it's his duty to let them know they did something wrong in traffic. >> use -- you're on camera, stupid. you're on cara, stupid. >> it's like he is the vigilante, he's gonna show what a cool guy he is by using his camera to almost entice people into an argument. >> reporter: this woman was even more furious after this dispute about access to this road, she took a swipe at devin's camera. >> there are probably people when they see this story at home, they are like, "he is crazy." why would he keep going up to these people knowing the response would be bad? >> i'd probably feel ashamed of
10:31 pm
myself if i didn't. i can't avoid somebody becoming rageful or enraged. >> reporter: but devin, or opflex, as he likes to be called, now, wasn't always the hero on his hero cam. >> when you walk past the spot, though, do you always look over and go, "that's where it happened"? >> yeah, every time i walk past this, i -- i do look at the spot and i think about it. >> reporter: "it" was the incident that first brought him viral infamy, with at one time more than 7 million views. >> what were you doing? what was going on? >> i was just riding around. and i was on a street next to a park kinda like this one and then out of nowhere, a car, decided to blast around me in what seems like a really dangerous way to pass somebody in a residential area. >> reporter: jones went on the pursuit, the ultimate no-no, according to major goodwin, don't be the cops. >> so my first question is, you go, "why" why was that important?
10:32 pm
it's not. >> how you doing? >> i'm pretty good what's up with you? you seem to be in quite the hurry. >> yeah. >> why you driving like that? >> reporter: that may sound like an innocent question, but no one was innocent here. >> and now you have somebody who's agitated. >> there you go. he's a man. he's a big girl. >> reporter: if there was an inner voice calling for restraint, devin ignored it. >> do not touch my stuff, >> why? why? why. >> because i'm going to defend my property. >> i don't see you touching it now though. >> i get a feeling that the motorcycle rider felt this was completely justified. and i'm telling you right now, it's not people. this isn't justification. this is our job. >> how do you feel about that video? >> i think it ended terribly. it's a source of shame for myself. >> you seem to be in quite the
10:33 pm
hurry. >> why not just blow him off and don't confront him? >> there was obviously some sort of primitive something going on in my mind. >> i thought you were a big tough guy. you drive like a big tough guy. >> you don't even watch it, do you? >> just -- it's just like two morons grunting at each other. but after all that macho, chest-beating -- both men refused to press charges. >> what have you learned? have you learned anything? >> i've learned that i'm not as in control of myself as i once thought i was. that i need to think about what i'm doing a few more times before i do it. >> would you do it again, though? >> i don't know. >> reporter: a disturbing thought. the righteous ragers are out there tonight and when we come back, blind rage turns to road side homicide. >> if i would have known that it would have ended the way it ended, i would have never, ever followed him. >> reporter: stay with us.
10:34 pm
without paying for things they don't want. mom gets the unlimited she needs, dad gets the unlimited he needs, the kids get the unlimited they need. it's big news from verizon. (shoes squeaking) and you could save some money. (scattered applause) wow. all this for us? yeah, and every other family in america. i think the kowalskis are next. (vo) one family, different unlimited plans on the network you deserve. starting at $40 per line. hundreds of epic deals sale at kohl's! no coupons needed! kids' tops and bottoms - $7.00! junior's swim separates - $14.99 save on bath towels and pillows! stock up, save big and get kohl's cash! epic deals storewide - kohl's cash for you! kohl's.
10:35 pm
10:36 pm
10:37 pm
10:38 pm
>> reporter: you never know just how fast or how far a road rage incident is going to escalate. maybe it's just a guy using his phone as a weapon. maybe it's two dudes having a roadside duel. >> he's definitely ready to go into battle. >> he got himself a pipe. >> but look at this thing break out. holy cow. >> reporter: or maybe it goes as far as this crazy scene from los angeles last year. >> man look at that she's getting dragged on the freeway. >> reporter: at least everyone in those cases lived.
10:39 pm
but tragically, it doesn't take much for a road rage incident to go from cursing to the coroner's office. >> how bad can these road rage confrontations get? >> well, it's murder. from 2006-2015 there was a 500% increase in fatal road rage crashes. last year, 18-year-old bianca roberson was shot and killed in what authorities say was a deadly road rage incident. >> she was a good girl, honor roll student looking forward to going to college. >> somebody didn't want her to merge into a lane of traffic and because of that, a young woman is dead. >> reporter: that somebody now charged with murder is david desper, who authorities say engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with roberson as they attempted to merge into the same lane, until he pulled up beside her
10:40 pm
and shot her in the head. desper is awaiting trial in september. he has pleaded not guilty. meanwhile in southern california, a road rage killer is behind bars, wrestling with her regret. >> if i would have known that it would have ended the way it ended, i would have never, ever followed him. >> reporter: earlier last year darla jackson, a 28-year old mother with no prior arrests, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to the voluntary manslaughter of navy officer zach buob. >> i'm going to commit you to the department of corrections ms. jackson for the minimum term of six years. >> reporter: the encounter between the two escalated when buob drove up along side of her on his red motorcycle, and kicked the side of her car leaving a dent and a shoe print. >> she couldn't believe that he had done it, decided to follow him to get the license plate.
10:41 pm
>> reporter: once again, the decision to pursue would end badly. another motorist captured a few seconds of jackson's high speed chase on video and shortly after this clip cut off, disaster struck. >> what happens is he slows down. the driver doesn't react fast enough to that to gauge how much he's slowing down. so her nose of her car literally rolls up on to the back wheel of the motorcycle. >> reporter: these photos tell the rest of the tale, the two vehicles become one skidding together for 315 feet before they became dislodged. buob hit the ground, and darla jackson ran him over. >> she had every opportunity to change her mind and not to chase my brother across two freeways. >> i let my pride get the best of me.
10:42 pm
i shouldn't have you know, been speeding. i shouldn't have you know, been negligent. >> reporter: the anguish she now feels apparent in her court appearances. and in her interview with us. >> my daughter doesn't have her mother and won't for a very long time. it turned out terribly for everyone involved. so i deeply regret what's happened. >> reporter: that angry pursuit landed darla jackson in prison. she was later transferred to a halfway house. in new orleans, another heated chase landed former jets running back joe mcknight in the morgue. >> we're going to move on now to that deadly road rage incident in louisiana where former nfl player joe mcknight was killed during an argument. >> reporter: according to police, mcknight cut off this man, local it technician ronald gasser. the two then got in a rolling argument which lasted for miles. >> still involved in verbal altercations, cutting in front of one another, zipping around vehicles on and on and on. that's mcknight's silver audi
10:43 pm
following gasser's blue infinity minutes later the cars came to a stop but the argument continued at full speed. >> at some point mr. mcknight exits his car and goes to mr. gasser's car. there continues to be a verbal altercation. during that altercation, mr. gasser pulls his weapon from between his seat, in the consul and fires three shots at joe mcknight killing him. >> did you ever think in a million years he would be the victim of a road rage? >> no. we got to stop being in so much of a rush to get somewhere. >> reporter: remarkably, police say it was shooter ron gasser's second road rage incident at almost that exact same location. this week at this stoplight he admits to shooting a man. >> justice. justice.
10:44 pm
>> reporter: gasser was charged with second degree murder and convicted of manslaughter. he is now serving out his 30 year sentence in a louisiana prison. gasser plans to appeal his conviction. >> we absolutely respect the verdict and the family is very happy with the verdict but jennifer mcknight still questions why this all had to happen. >> are we that angry? is our nation that angry about things? we got to learn how to channel our energy into something more positive than what we're doing. we're not thinking clearly. >> reporter: coming up. the denver cops in a call to action. how you can help them stop the madness. when we come back. ure cardholdes 10 miles on every dollar they spend at thousands of hotels. all you have to do is pay with this... at hotels.com/venture. 10 miles per dollar? that is incredible. brrrrr. i have the chills. because you're so excited? because ice is cold.
10:45 pm
and because of all those miles. obviously. what's in your wallet? i'm not sure. what's in your wallet? ♪ if you love me, love♪ like you say ♪ darling tell me all the ways ♪ ♪ tell me all the ways ♪ all the ways get more to your door. introducing same day delivery, from target. you think 7up's just a soda? well, can just a soda make guac, carnitas, and margaritas for taco tuesday? yes, it can. trick question. mmmm. hey, guys! kevin, hi! do more with 7up. is this at&t innovations? yeah, wow... this must be for one of our new unlimited wireless plans. it comes with a ton of entertainment options. great, can you sign for this? yeah. hey, uh... what's in that one? that's a shark. new and only with at&t, you can get unlimited data, 30 plus channels of live tv, and your choice of things
10:49 pm
>> who are we looking for? who is this woman? >> well it's one of our repeat and frequent offenders. >> reporter: the cops in denver have had enough. now they're fighting back with a call to action enlisting viewers like you. >> so this woman has been called in how many times? >> it has been at least eight times. >> that's a lot. >> yep it's a lot. >> reporter: imageer -- major jeff good win is talking about reporting. a dedicated hotline so drivers can blow the whistle before blowing their stack. >> they're telling 'em to stay back, don't get close, don't get in the middle of this. >> reporter: goodwin estimates a staggering 5,000 calls are pouring in every month in the denver area alone. >> i just wanted to report
10:50 pm
someone who's driving like a maniac. >> reporter: in a novel approach, his team then uses the data to identify those drivers with the most complaints. then they track them down. >> half of these things these people did to me. >> reporter: our denver affiliate kmgh was there when the state patrol approached this man. he'd received seven complaints in eight months. >> i would say -- >> mr. douglass. >> i would say certain incidences a bad driver would be a totality. >> reporter: his name is houdini douglas and, as is often the case, he tries to wiggle his way out of those numerous complaints. >> near as i can tell none of them have any legal ramifications. >> almost every time, guaranteed, it's not their fault and they start telling us about the complaints they have on the drivers that called them in. >> reporter: we're with major goodwin, as he heads out on the hunt looking for this woman, kim schwerdtfeger. >> she's doing all the things
10:51 pm
that make other drivers around her upset. as we pull into schwerdtfeger's apartment complex -- >> so we're looking for a blue car? >> reporter: we immediately spot her car. s thar e.onsi >> s's home. >> so now we'll take a cruise down here and wait. >> reporter: but our mini-stakeout is brief. before we know it, schwerdtfeger is behind the wheel and on the move. >> she's going. >> there's our car. >> boom! >> reporter: we follow, but this time it's the major who's handcuffed. he can't pull her over without cause. >> i don't want to harass her. >> reporter: and on this day, schwerdtfeger appears to be minding her ps and qs. >> she's doing like 31, 32 miles an hour. >> she's clearly aware of us. >> she's nervous. >> reporter: and suddenly, she hooks a u-turn. >> so, alright, we're gonna cut
10:52 pm
her loose. >> reporter: three weeks later we're back and this guy has ammunition to help their cause. >> her driver's license is not valid. so, she should not be operating a vehicle at all. >> reporter: driving on a suspended license is against the law, something kim schwedtfeger appears to ignore. >> reporter: it takes a lot to get your driver's license taken away, though, doesn't it? >> yes. 12 points in a year's time. >> reporter: so, it's back to her apartment. >> now it's a waiting game. it's like cat and mouse. >> reporter: and when we arrive, the beat up jalopy we followed the first time has been replaced. here's the new beaut! >> it's a totally different color. >> i'll probably go back out to 85 and see if i can get her coming the opposite way or something like that. >> reporter: the next day, in the driving snow, we track her new wheels to the restaurant where she works. >> we have found the car. so we're going to verify that
10:53 pm
license plate. >> reporter: in a word busted. >> so her car is just to west of us over that tree and there's a fence, and it's parked at the very back corner that you can park. >> reporter: the men head inside to confront their quarry. but will schwerdtfeger come out in cuffs? >> how'd it go? >> she thinks that people were calling her in because she was texting and driving. so she openly admitted to that. she know there's issues with her license. >> reporter: she gets a break and a stern warning. don't drive or she'll be arrested. >> she has to figure out a way to get home tonight? >> if she presses her luck and tries to go home, she might end up having to do jail time for all of this. >> reporter: still, we want to talk to schwerdtfeger ourselves and she surprisingly rolls over faster than a speeding suv on an off ramp. >> we you surprised that they came to find you? >> yes, yes, yes. the worst is the texting. i was texting.
10:54 pm
i've never hurt anybody. so i really apologize. >> so you have a lot of accidents? >> i have about five. >> now your license has been suspended so you can't drive. >> correct. >> what does that mean for you? >> that means uber. time for uber. i don't want to lose my new car. i don't want to go to jail, i've never been and i apologize if i scared anybody that's not my intention whatsoever. >> reporter: she sounded so sincere but bad habits die hard. six months later, schwerdtfeger was cited for driving while on a restricted license. but she claims she wasn't driving pleading guilty to allowing an unauthorized person to drive her car. >> are these normal people losing their minds? >> absolutely. >> everybody gets angry it's just a matter of what flips that switch. and then, what do you do with after it's been flipped. >> reporter: when we come back the final chapter th
10:55 pm
you turned a family recipeher, into a brewing empire before prohibition took it all away. i promised our family i'd find your lost recipe. by tracing our history on ancestry, i found the one person who still had it. now, i'm brewing our legacy back to life. i'm david thieme, and this is my ancestry story. now with 100 million family trees, find your story. get started for free at ancestry.com. life's bleachable moments need clorox bleach.
10:56 pm
introducing elvive protein recharge leave-in conditioner. in just one use, elvive's breakthrough heat-protecting formula leaves your hair with 97% less breakage and 15 times stronger. ♪ elvive revives damaged hair. because you're worth it. i struggle with bipolar depression, it leaves me... feeling sad... and empty. it makes it hard to be there... for the people i love. so i talked to my doctor, and she prescribed latuda. latuda is fda-approved... to treat bipolar depression, a different type of depression. in clinical studies, latuda... was proven effective for many people struggling with bipolar depression. latuda is not for everyone. call your doctor about unusual mood changes,
10:57 pm
behaviors or suicidal thoughts. antidepressants can... increase these in children, teens and young adults. elderly dementia patients on latuda have an increased risk of death... or stroke. call your doctor... about fever, stiff muscles and confusion, as these may be life-threatening... or uncontrollable muscle movements... as these may be permanent. these are not all the serious side effects. to learn more, go to latuda.com or talk to your doctor. being there for the people i love means... i get to be part of life's little moments. talk to your doctor about latuda and visit latuda.com. ♪ (phone message chime) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: last year in south florida, it happened again. >> two men caught on camera in a road rage incident involving a bat.
10:58 pm
>> reporter: the pattern of escalation we know so well -- a perceived traffic discourtesy mushrooming into an argument, a broken window, a collision, then a street brawl in broad daylight. >> and they go at it, struggling in the middle of traffic over the weapon. >> reporter: hector herrera, that batter swinging for the fences, arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. >> the first thing that came to my head was to grab a bat and go and fight. >> reporter: a typical, shake your head road rage story? perhaps. but then, something much less typical. herrera went on television and actually expressed remorse. >> i would say to him, i'm sorry for the situation. this is no good for nobody. >> reporter: perhaps herrera's apology did him some good. he ended up with only six months probation, anger management classes, and orders to stay away from his victim. there'll be no world series re-match for these sluggers. something to consider the next
10:59 pm
time you hit the highway. you may think you need to win, but perhaps this is a game you'd rather not play. you may think your enemy is in the next lane, but perhaps he's in your own head. you make think you thrive on drama, but perhaps what you really need is peace. >> let's hope so. that is "20/20" for tonight. i'm david muir. amy robach is back next week. from all of us here at "20/20" thanks for watching. we hope you have a safe and wonderful fourth of july.
363 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
KGO (ABC) Television Archive Television Archive News Search ServiceUploaded by TV Archive on