COLUMBUS, Ohio — It's no secret central Ohio roadways can get very busy, especially during rush hour traffic. On top of that, law enforcement across the state is seeing an increasing number of aggressive driving cases, some of which are leading to road rage.
A recent 911 call from a driver traveling on Jackson Street near U.S. Route 23 and state Route 665 on the south side. The driver called 911 after a merging situation escalated at an intersection.
The caller said, "This dude is acting super crazy and flew around me and then got out and had a little gun and pointed it right at me, saying that if I made another move, he was going to end my life."
"The gentleman actually got out of his car, pointed the gun at another driver and said are you ready for your life to end?" said Patrol Sgt. Griffin Bluestone with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
And while it may sound shocking, this type of behavior is becoming more common across the state of Ohio. A study from Forbes ranked Ohio in the top 10 for the most confrontational drivers going into 2024. That "confrontational" driving often leads to extreme cases of road rage, according to deputies with the Franklin County Sheriff's office.
"It's sad to see, but it's something that's becoming really prevalent on the roadways today. Someone will pull a gun on them, honk and threaten them" said Sgt. Bluestone.
Aggressive driving is on the rise locally. Over the past two years, multiple road rage incidents involving guns have played out on central Ohio interstates, shutting down large stretches of I-70 and I-670 for hours. Deputy Bluestone said while this is a tricky problem to deal with, they encourage drivers not to take matters into their own hands.
"The biggest thing was making sure people know not then follow the aggressor, that seems to be the most common occurrence. Someone will pull a gun on them and honk and threaten them and will then follow the person as they're calling 911. That's extremely unsafe we do not want that" said Sgt. Bluestone.
If you're ever in this situation and can safely, get a license plate or car description for law enforcement.