A truck driver has been charged with second degree murder after a road rage incident with a motorist ended in a death.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 7th in Williamson, West Virginia.
According to WSAZ News, 66-year-old James Blaine Armstrong was driving his semi truck north along Route 119 when a red Chevy Cruze driven by Eric Bennett Sammons pulled in front of the rig at the intersection of Route 119 and Route 52, blocking the rig from going any further. Sammons then exited his car and walked to Armstrong’s door while “screaming and cussing” at Armstrong.
Armstrong then rolled down his window but Sammons pulled the cab door open. In response, Armstrong grabbed a 380 Ruger and shot Sammons in the upper chest. Sammons was pronounced dead on scene.
Armstrong’s attorney claims that the shooting was in self defense and that Armstrong had no choice but to protect himself.
“As soon as he shot him, he called 911 and said ‘Listen, I just shot somebody. I had no intent to shoot the guy, but I had no choice. I had to protect myself,’ ” Armstrong’s attorney, Jeffrey Simpkins, said.
“My client never opened the door,” Simpkins continued. ”There are witnesses to that effect that he (Sammons) was making threatening comments the whole time as he was proceeding back toward the semi. He (Sammons) proceeded to open the door. He was getting physical, going to have a physical altercation, at which time my client justifiably fired a shot.”
Armstrong is now being charged with second-degree murder and is being held at Southwestern Regional Jail on a $200,000 cash-only bond.