Off-Duty Officer Kills Man In Central California Road Rage Incident

click to expand

ORANGE COVE (AP) - An official says a central California off-duty police officer fatally shot a driver during a road rage confrontation.

Fresno County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Botti says the Orange Cove officer and the unidentified man exchanged words before the officer fired his handgun into the man's car, killing him Thursday.

Botti said Friday the man died at a hospital and that his name has not been released pending notification of his family.

He says witnesses told deputies the driver had been involved in several road rage incidents in Tulare and Fresno counties prior to the confrontation with the officer.

Botti says it's unclear whether the driver had any weapons or used his car as a weapon.

He says investigators have not yet interviewed the officer, who has not been identified.