A 19-year-old faces attempted murder charges and several other offenses after allegedly shooting a man during a road rage incident on Interstate 65, just south of Indianapolis. The incident occurred on June 29th, and Ladon Jenkins is also facing charges of aggravated battery, criminal recklessness, neglect of a dependent, and unlawful carrying of a handgun. The victim, who sustained a serious injury, was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Ladon Jenkins, a 19-year-old, was been charged with attempted murder after a road rage incident on Interstate 65. The shooting took place on June 29th, just after 7:30 p.m., near the Southport Road exit. The victim, who was shot inside his vehicle, was found conscious and alert by first responders. Indiana State Police have also charged Jenkins with aggravated battery, criminal recklessness, neglect of a dependent, and unlawful carrying of a handgun.
According to a witness, a red car pulled up next to the victim’s Honda Accord on I-65. The witness reported seeing a person in the red car firing five shots into the Accord. The road rage incident reportedly began on I-465 near Emerson Avenue, where the victim noticed the red car following them. The red car would allegedly brake check the Accord, throw objects at it, and even pull in front of it. The passenger in the Accord claimed that a Greenwood Police Department officer witnessed the road rage but did not intervene.
The driver of the Accord stated that the road rage started when he was passing through a construction area and the red car wanted him to go faster. He claimed that his passenger and the driver of the red car exchanged words, escalating the situation. The driver of the red car then allegedly opened fire on them. The Greenwood officer who witnessed the incident confirmed that he saw the road rage and observed the Accord’s passenger throwing something at the red car. However, he did not intervene due to not being in uniform and lacking his vest.
Surveillance video footage helped identify the red car as a 2015 red Kia Rio, which was later stopped by troopers on July 2. Ladon Jenkins was arrested during the stop. Police discovered that Jenkins and a woman had a 2-year-old child with them in the car during the incident. Further investigation revealed that the child had been burned by one of the shell casings.
During an interview with the police, Jenkins claimed that the driver of the other car had pointed a gun at him, forcing him to defend himself. However, no weapons were found inside the Accord. Jenkins’ previous conviction made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.