‘Let’s call it what it is: stupidity.’ Driver mad someone honked at him opens fire on former officer

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A driver is recovering after he was shot in what police said was a case of road rage Monday morning.

Channel 2′s Tom Regan was on Georgia 400 in Forsyth Parkway, where Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman said an angry driver pulled out a gun and fired multiple times at a man who had honked his horn at him for driving too slow.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

“It’s a classic case of... let’s call it what it was: stupidity,” Freeman said.

The sheriff said the victim saw 31-year-old Joshua Kasparek pull out a gun, but didn’t think he was really going to fire it.

“And the next thing he finds is multiple gunshots hitting his vehicle, including one hitting him in the arm,” Freeman said.

TRENDING STORIES:

• First-ever Chick-fil-A restaurant location is closing this week...for good
• CCSO: Deputies find pounds of marijuana stuffed in suitcase during traffic stop on I-75
• Students battling cancer banned from prom at Georgia high school; decision reversed after outrage

The victim, a retired public safety officer, followed the accused shooter long enough to get a look at his license plate.

Deputies soon arrested Kasparek.

“He was compliant. There was no chase, no use of force,” Freeman said. “But he had no good explanation. Basically, ‘I did it. I got mad.’”

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Freeman said people with guns can’t let their emotions take control in road disputes, because too often, they end in tragedy.

“He was very lucky the bullet was deflected and went into his arm,” Freeman said. “He received minor treatment for that. But it could just as easily been a loss of life, because someone got mad that you were passing him.”

Do you recognize them? Police release new video of 3 suspects in Atlanta murder

©2022 Cox Media Group