A driver may feel he’s entitled to thrust his hand out his car window and give an obscene gesture when someone cuts him off in traffic.
But something like that may be all it takes to trigger a deadly confrontation on the street between two complete strangers.
And that’s exactly the type of random, trivial disagreement that Westminster police believe sparked a fatal shooting Friday night near a busy intersection that left a 21-year-old man dead and a 26-year-old man possibly facing the death penalty.
Travis Neil Smith, 26, of Commerce City is being held in the Adams County Jail for investigation of first-degree murder.
Police are not releasing the name of the 21-year-old Broomfield man who died of at least one bullet wound after getting to a restaurant parking lot and motioning to patrons for help after the 7:44 p.m. shooting.
“When someone cuts you off, don’t slam on the brakes; don’t chase them down; don’t use hand gestures or profanity,” said Trevor Materasso, Westminster police spokesman. “This case is an example that it is not worth the aggravation. You never know who the other person is in the other car.”
Several witnesses saw Smith driving a blue GMC Jimmy beside a tan 1992 Toyota Corolla eastbound on West 120th Avenue just before the intersection at Huron Street.
Something happened between the two vehicles that led witnesses and police to conclude that it was a road-rage incident, Materasso said. He said he can’t reveal what it was.
Smith allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the 21-year-old.
Because of how many people were “out and about” nearby in restaurants and in other cars, there could have easily been other victims, Materasso said.
“There is no indication that this was gang-related or that the two knew each other,” Materasso said.
He said he could not say how many rounds were fired.
Witnesses got the license plate number of Smith’s SUV and called police. The victim stopped immediately at the northwest corner of the intersection, got out of his car and called for help.
He was rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Materasso said. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
Commerce City police who heard a bulletin about the shooting pulled Smith’s SUV over and arrested him without incident.
“His life will forever be changed because he’s been arrested for killing somebody,” Materasso said.
Police are asking that if anyone else was nearby and saw what happened to call and report what they know.
“A case like this does stimulate our minds to say how and why this happened,” Materasso said.
When people encounter bad, angry or even dangerous drivers, they should take down a license number, back away and call police, Materasso said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
