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Drunk driving & empty rifle end BADLY in KY
Glad they're NOT pressing charges against the SOBER guy! 
Driver who fatally shot a man during a road rage incident on an I-75 ramp won't be charged
Driver who fatally shot a man during a road rage incident on an I-75 ramp won't be charged
by Tessa DiTirro, WKRC
Monday, October 12th 2020
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The driver who shot and killed John Abell after a road rage incident will not faces any charges. (WKRC)
FT. WRIGHT, Ky. (WKRC) - There will be no charges filed after a man was shot and killed on I-75 Friday. Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said the use of force was justified.
"Kentucky law states an individual is justified in the use of physical force upon another when the individual believes such force is necessary to protect against the use of unlawful force by another person," Sanders said.
Sanders continued, "The investigation by Ft. Wright and Kenton County Police Departments conclusively found the shooter was reasonably in fear for his own life and responded lawfully."
The man who fired the shots called 911 just after being involved in the crash on I-75 near Kyles Lane.
"A guy road-raged me, ran over into my lane, flipping me off, ran me off the road," he told 911.
Taylor Wirthlin stopped her own car to help. She took pictures of John Patrick Abell with a rifle in his hands to give to the police.
"The man is armed and he's coming with a gun right now," said the driver.
Wirthlin said she watched Abell point the rifle inside the car. Abell and the driver got into an argument that is heard over the 911 call.
Driver: I'm sorry, sir.
Abell: Give me your f****** license.
Driver: Yes, sir; yes sir. Absolutely.
Abell: Give me your f****** license.
Driver: Yes, sir. Here you go, my wallet. I'm sorry.
Then the shooting happened:
Driver: Sir, shots fired. Sir, I just fired shots on him.
911: OK, we're going to send an ambulance.
Driver: He's shot bad. Sir, he's shot in the neck. He needs help. Sir, he needs help."
Abell's rifle was not loaded and had a trigger lock in place. Sanders said the driver protected himself lawfully as there was no way to know the rifle was inoperable.
"I think anybody would have done what that gentleman did if they had a gun pointed at them, would be to pull their own and make sure that they don't have their life ended in traffic over an accident," said Wirthlin.
Abell died at UC Medical Center. Investigators said he was coming home from a fishing trip, the other driver from work.
Neither man knew the other. Both possessed their weapons legally and have no criminal histories.
Toxicology reports are pending, but empty liquor bottles were found in Abell's SUV.
Monday, October 12th 2020
VIEW ALL PHOTOS
The driver who shot and killed John Abell after a road rage incident will not faces any charges. (WKRC)
FT. WRIGHT, Ky. (WKRC) - There will be no charges filed after a man was shot and killed on I-75 Friday. Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said the use of force was justified.
"Kentucky law states an individual is justified in the use of physical force upon another when the individual believes such force is necessary to protect against the use of unlawful force by another person," Sanders said.
Sanders continued, "The investigation by Ft. Wright and Kenton County Police Departments conclusively found the shooter was reasonably in fear for his own life and responded lawfully."
The man who fired the shots called 911 just after being involved in the crash on I-75 near Kyles Lane.
"A guy road-raged me, ran over into my lane, flipping me off, ran me off the road," he told 911.
Taylor Wirthlin stopped her own car to help. She took pictures of John Patrick Abell with a rifle in his hands to give to the police.
"The man is armed and he's coming with a gun right now," said the driver.
Wirthlin said she watched Abell point the rifle inside the car. Abell and the driver got into an argument that is heard over the 911 call.
Driver: I'm sorry, sir.
Abell: Give me your f****** license.
Driver: Yes, sir; yes sir. Absolutely.
Abell: Give me your f****** license.
Driver: Yes, sir. Here you go, my wallet. I'm sorry.
Then the shooting happened:
Driver: Sir, shots fired. Sir, I just fired shots on him.
911: OK, we're going to send an ambulance.
Driver: He's shot bad. Sir, he's shot in the neck. He needs help. Sir, he needs help."
Abell's rifle was not loaded and had a trigger lock in place. Sanders said the driver protected himself lawfully as there was no way to know the rifle was inoperable.
"I think anybody would have done what that gentleman did if they had a gun pointed at them, would be to pull their own and make sure that they don't have their life ended in traffic over an accident," said Wirthlin.
Abell died at UC Medical Center. Investigators said he was coming home from a fishing trip, the other driver from work.
Neither man knew the other. Both possessed their weapons legally and have no criminal histories.
Toxicology reports are pending, but empty liquor bottles were found in Abell's SUV.
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