Bullet removed from man's face after road rage shooting
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- HOUSTON - The man shot in the face on Southwest Freeway near Fannin Tuesday had the bullet surgically removed from his face.
Jerry Mutto was driving to work when he said a driver in a silver BMW or Lexus angrily passed him, drove a few miles down and pulled over. As Mutto passed, he said that driver fired inside his truck multiple times.
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"If it had been two more inches to one side, I wouldn't be here," he said. "I'm a little numb in the mouth. They did the surgery from the inside so it won't leave (scarring)."
Debora Callahan, a driving instructor in Houston, said aggressive driving is out of control in the area.
"Slow down. If you're in a hurry, you're going to hurt yourself or you're going to kill someone and you're going to deeply regret it," Callahan said.
The shooting wasn't the only road rage violence Tuesday. A viewer sent Eyewitness News video of two women fighting near a bus stop at Mt. Houston and Mesa. Their cars were packed with kids and bystanders had to break the women up.
Texas Department of Transportation data shows road rage incidents are trending up in Houston and across the state. In all of 2015, the city had 88 crashes considered to be road rage related. So far this year, it's already up to 64 such crashes.
Callahan teaches her students, if they're feeling angry, or someone is acting aggressively nearby, get out of that situation.
"If you feel your anxiety or anger is getting out of control it's time to take a water. Go to a fast food restaurant. You have to take yourself out of the situation," she said.
Meanwhile, as he heals up, Mutto said he's grateful for the support he's received.
"It makes me want to cry. Because I didn't realize how many people care," he said.
HPD is continuing the search for the gunman.
