Grand jury will decide of road rage shooting was self defense

JASPER, Tennessee (WDEF) – It will be up to a Marion County grand jury on whether to charge a man in a deadly road rage case during the traffic backup from this week’s helicopter crash.

The drivers were caught in the traffic when I 24 was shutdown by recovery efforts of the helicopter crash on Tuesday.

Sheriff Bo Burnett says one vehicle bumped the other.

And one driver got out to confront the driver in the other vehicle.

That driver shot and killed Heath Steele from Jackson County, Alabama.

The Sheriff says the shooter backed up to get away from his “attacker” before shooting him.

And he had a valid concealed carry permit.

Steele did not have any weapon.

Sheriff’s investigators weren’t sure if it constituted self defense, so they took it to the District Attorney.

The D-A told them to present the evidence to the grand jury that meets in October and let them decide if any charges are needed.