Road rage may have led to deadly shooting on North Beltway, investigators say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Investigators are reviewing traffic cameras along the North Sam Houston Tollway after a passenger in a vehicle was shot to death in what could be a road rage incident.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said it learned of the shooting at about 10:50 a.m. Thursday when the driver of the targeted blue Honda sedan stopped in the 1300 block of Hollister and flagged down a deputy in the area.

The passenger died after the car was stopped. The driver didn't appear to be hurt in the shooting.

The incident actually began seven miles east, along the North Beltway near I-45 North. Investigators say a driver in a dark-colored SUV had an altercation with the driver and passenger of the blue Honda.

"There seemed to be an altercation on the roadway," Chief Deputy Edison Toquica said. "All indications are that it was a road rage incident, that turned out to be violent, where a handgun was produced. The suspect did discharge it into the vehicle, striking it three times in the rear passenger door, (and) one time in the passenger window."

Deputies are still looking for the suspected shooter, described as a Black man in his mid-30s.

Toquica said the driver of the blue Honda did not call 911 when the shooting happened. Instead, he drove around seven miles west, finally exiting at Hollister.

Investigators also hope the traffic camera footage will provide them with a license plate and a better description of the suspect's vehicle.

"We probably will have great camera footage on that because the cameras there were obviously operational and can give us very good information. We do feel confident we'll get a good plate and possible description of the driver," Toquica said.

A source tells Eyewitness News investigators are looking into whether the shooter and the people in the blue car may have had prior dealings.

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