MISSOULA — New details have been released about a road rage incident that has Cody S. Johnson facing a charge of attempted deliberate homicide in Missoula.
Missoula Police Department spokeswoman Lydia Arnold previously told MTN News that 31-year-old Johnson was arrested in connection with what was initially reported to law enforcement as a "road rage incident."
Law enforcement previously told MTN News that police were dispatched to an incident in the 1700 block of Cooley Street where shots were fired at an unspecified number of people at around 10:15 p.m. on October 16.
A police officer who responded to the scene found three 9-millimeter casings in the road, according to court documents. One person told law enforcement she had been driving with two passengers on Mullan Road near Great Northern Loop when a vehicle pulled out in front of her and slammed on its brakes nearly causing a collision. The vehicle did this a second time and was then driving extremely slowly, charging documents state.
The driver — later identified as Johnson — pulled over and allowed the woman to pass and then followed her home. Court documents state when she parked in front of her home, the other vehicle parked behind her and the driver began yelling at her.
Several people yelled at Johnson to leave. Other people — who court documents state were not near Johnson - said he began yelling "don’t come assault me!" and things of similar nature. He then shot a gun out of his window three times before driving away.
Officers reviewed surveillance footage that showed the vehicle as well as shots being fired and that some people were "directly in the line of fire based on where one bullet impacted a nearby truck," according to court documents.
A police officer on patrol on October 18 saw a vehicle matching the description near South Avenue and Johnson Sreet with a driver that matched the description of a person wanted in connection with the shooting.
A traffic stop was initiated and the man — later identified as Johnson — got out of the vehicle. Court documents state Johnson would not speak with law enforcement without an attorney present.
Police later obtained a search warrant and found a 9-millimeter handgun containing silver bullets in the center console of the vehicle. A detective then confirmed that the shell casings found at the scene were also silver and had been fired from a 9-millimeter handgun.
Johnson is being held in the Missoula County Detention Facility on $250,000 bail.
