Road rage leads to newspaper carrier getting shot, 2 charged, SC cops say

A newspaper carrier was shot while making his deliveries in what police in Aiken County say was an incident prompted by road rage.

The shooting happened around 5:40 a.m. Wednesday on Lake Avenue in North Augusta, and involved road rage that escalated to a single shot being fired, according to WJBF.

Police say a delivery driver with The Augusta Chronicle was driving one vehicle and that the other vehicle was driven by 26-year-old Charis Mitchells Joy, of North Augusta, reports WFXG. Max Jashawa Eagle, 32, of Warrenville, was a passenger in Joy’s car, the station reported.

An investigation showed that Joy was driving the wrong way and tried to turn into her driveway when she met the newspaper deliveryman, who was driving on the correct side of the roadway, according to the Chronicle. A physical altercation then escalated to the shooting, the newspaper reported.

The news carrier was shot in the abdomen/chest area and was taken to a hospital for treatment, according to The North Augusta Star, which reported that his condition is unknown.

Eagle was arrested on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to Aiken County jail records. Joy is charged with third-degree assault and battery, jail records show.

Joy’s mother told WRDW that the news carrier punched her daughter, and that Eagle shot the carrier in self defense.

This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 10:53 AM.