Safe Roadways Initiative makes more than 1,100 arrests in effort to combat road rage, HPD says

In Houston, Texas (KTRK) — Authorities are on the lookout for the individual responsible for shooting a 26-year-old driver multiple times in southwest Houston, near Fort Bend County, on Monday.

The Houston Police Department (HPD) believes the shooting occurred on the Sam Houston Tollway and West Hillcroft around 12 p.m. The victim managed to drive over a mile to the Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road and West Fuqua before crashing into a barrier. As of Tuesday, the victim remains in critical condition and is receiving treatment at the hospital, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including at least one to the head.

Investigators suspect that the shooting may be an incident of road rage. If confirmed, it would mark the 15th reported road rage shooting within city limits this year. Unofficially, HPD has recorded 14 shootings motivated by road rage year-to-date.

Comparatively, by March 18, 2023, there had been nine reported road rage shootings, while in the same period in 2022, there were 20.

Commander Mark Holloway, who leads HPD’s Traffic Enforcement Division and oversees the department’s Safe Roadways Initiative, emphasized the importance of promptly reporting such incidents to 911. He urged individuals to provide details such as location, travel direction, and, if possible, license plate information while maintaining a safe distance from the scene.

The Safe Roadways Initiative was initially established in 2021 and was recently revitalized following the tragic death of 17-year-old Louise Wilson, who was fatally shot while driving to the beach.

HPD collaborates with other regional law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Public Safety and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, in efforts to address road safety concerns.

Over the past 11 weeks, these combined agencies have conducted 24,000 traffic stops, resulting in 1,100 arrests and the confiscation of 38 firearms.

Holloway emphasized the importance of disengaging from potentially volatile situations, especially considering the prevalence of firearms in Texas: “The best thing you can do is disengage from the situation because this is Texas. Everybody’s got a gun.”