Man arrested in road rage shooting that injured 7-year-old

Man arrested after road rage shooting in Grapevine

A 59-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a road rage shooting Thursday evening in Grapevine that left a 7-year-old boy with minor injuries.

GRAPEVINE, Texas - A 59-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a road rage shooting Thursday evening in Grapevine that left a 7-year-old boy with minor injuries.

John Schwoyer was taken into police custody in Grapevine and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to Grapevine police.

John Schwoyer (Grapevine police)

The backstory:

Around 8 p.m. Thursday, a man called 911 to report that another driver had shot into his pickup truck while he was driving north on SH-121 near Bass Pro Drive. He told dispatchers that his family, including three of his children, were in the truck at the time.

The man returned fire in self-defense and followed the other driver, noting the suspect and vehicle description. A 911 dispatcher advised the man to stop at a gas station for safety.

Grapevine road rage

The 7-year-old son sustained injuries from shattered glass and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. An adult passenger also suffered minor injuries from broken glass and was treated at the scene. The two other children in the back of the truck were not hurt. FOX 4 later was able to speak with the father, who said the child had been released from the hospital. The father said the family had been coming home from dinner that night, and were about to stop for ice cream in Flower Mound when the shooting occurred. 

A report from the driver of the pickup was included in an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 4 on Friday.

The man told police that he had noticed Schwoyer's silver Infiniti approaching his truck from behind at a high speed, which he estimated to be over 100 mph. The truck driver said he swerved aside to avoid being hit, and after later passing the Infiniti again, he heard gunshots and shattering glass.

Fearing for his family's safety, the man said he fired back at the Infiniti before exiting and stopping at the RaceTrak. 

Finding the Suspected Road Rage Driver

Dig deeper:

The driver provided dispatchers with a license plate number for the Infiniti. Police identified the driver and located his home in Flower Mound. The affidavit says Schwoyer spoke to officers over the phone before they arrived, at which point he allegedly denied being at the scene, claiming to have been drinking at home all day.

Grapevine and Flower Mound police then responded to the suspect's home and established a perimeter. Investigators used drones and attempted to coax the suspect out of the home peacefully. A neighbor assisted police, the affidavit says, texting Schwoyer to come outside. Schwoyer allegedly responded that he was afraid he'd be arrested for being drunk. 

The suspect eventually exited his home around 2:15 a.m. Friday and was arrested at the scene.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released information regarding what initiated the road rage incident.