Man charged with assault in case of road rage
Thursday, August 16, 2007CAROL ROBINSONNews staff writer
A Graysville man is charged with assault after authorities say he beat another man with a tire tool in a case of road rage.

Jefferson County sheriff's deputies arrested Trey Allen Gray, 37, near Dora on Tuesday. He was booked into the county jail and later released on $5,000 bond.

The incident happened just after 3 p.m. when James Owens, 30, was traveling eastbound in the 7400 block of U.S. 78 near Dora, with his wife and daughter in his truck.

Owens attempted to pass a car and the car sped up to purposefully keep him from passing so he slowed and got back behind the car, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Randy Christian.

Investigators said Gray then started hitting the brakes in front of Owens' vehicle.

To stop the potential confrontation, Owens pulled off the road into a convenience store parking lot. Gray pulled into the same lot.

Gray then got a tire tool, Christian said, and Owens' wife called 911. Gray yelled at Owens, and then went to the passenger side of the car and started yelling at his wife.

When Owens tried to intervene, Gray struck him four or five times in the head. The victim managed to wrestle him to the ground and hold him until deputies arrived.

Gray was arrested. Owens was treated at Walker Regional Medical Center for lacerations to his head.

"Sounds like Mr. Gray was hellbent that no one was going to pass him. I hope he learns a lesson when he has to explain his actions in court," Christian said. "He is very fortunate that kind of silly behavior didn't get him killed. It is hard to comprehend someone acting so petty."


Do you think he was referring to the fact that 10% of area residents have permits to carry weapons?

Somebody come at me with a tire tool, bang, bang.