UPDATE — JUNE 21, 2019——————————————————————————-
A former high ranking California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer has been found guilty for a road rage attack against a truck driver in 2017.
On Thursday, June 20, former CHP Northern Division Assistant Chief Todd Garr, was found guilty on charges of reckless driving and battery in a California court. The jury deliberated only two and a half hours before returning the guilty verdict.
Garr will face sentencing on July 25 with the truck driver who he attacked in attendance, according to KRCRTV.
The guilty verdict stems from a July 14, 2017 incident that happened in Redding, California. Garr claims that he was cut off by truck driver Kenneth McFall while he was off duty. Garr is said to have responded by crossing into the oncoming lanes to get in front of McFall and then parking his car. Both Garr and a passenger in the car got out to confront McFall.
From there, Garr climbed up on McFall’s truck. McFall says that Garr grabbed his arm at this point, but Garr’s legal team denied this and said that Garr’s confrontation was strictly verbal.
Either way, McFall responded by punching Garr in the face, causing him to fall off the truck and land unconscious in the roadway.
The incident was captured on dash cam by another truck driver, who later removed the video. However, you can still see much of the dash cam clip in the news report below.
Off-Duty CHP Chief lands flat on his back in roadway after assaulting a Truck Driver in a Road Rage incident on Knighton Road in Shasta County!
Posted by Lee Johnson Media on Friday, July 21, 2017
ORIGINAL REPORT — JULY 27, 2017—————————————————————
The California Highway Patrol is investigating after one of their own off duty employees reportedly climbed on a tanker truck and became involved in a physical altercation with the driver during a road rage incident caught on dash cam in Redding last week.
CHP Officer Allegedly Involved In Road Rage Attack On Tanker Truck Driver
The incident occurred on July 14 and started when a Cross Petroleum tanker driver was reportedly brake checked by a white car while turning onto Knighton Road. In part of the incident caught on dash cam by another truck driver, Jeremy Vipond, you can see two men involved in what appears to be a road rage attack on the tanker driver. The men climbed on the running board of the tanker truck during the incident.
Vipond told KRCRTV, “I saw a white SUV parked in front of a tanker trailer, and I saw the first person of interest on the steps arguing with the driver. He appeared to have been struck in the mouth and fell backwards.” The man who was struck was apparently unconscious, lying in the roadway for several moments.
The tanker driver left the scene and called the police from a nearby truck stop.
Cross Petroleum Vice President Jimm Cross said he supports the way that the driver defended himself during the incident: “We are very supportive of our driver that the way he reacted in this situation protecting himself, getting the vehicle away to a safe public place.”
CHP Confirms That Road Rager Was Assistant Chief
CHP later confirmed that the man who fell off of the truck after being struck was off duty Northern Division Assistant Chief Todd Garr. CHP also confirmed that the other man was not a CHP employee.
Garr is still employed but is under investigation by CHP. Public information officer Jaimie Coffee writes, “The CHP takes any allegation of misconduct by its employees very seriously and is conducting an investigation to determine what occurred. I want to emphasize to the public that the alleged conduct of this employee does not reflect the values, hard work, dedication and professionalism of the CHP.”
It isn’t clear at this time whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.
Vipond has removed the video from YouTube, but you can see portions of the dash cam footage in the news coverage from KRCRTV below.