Road Rage Confrontation Turns Into Gunfire
A 63-year-old man was arrested after a road rage confrontation on Blanding Boulevard in Clay County, Florida, ended with gunshots fired at a car carrying three teenagers, according to an arrest report. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office took Ruben Rodriguez into custody Wednesday evening and charged him with three counts of attempted murder.
How the Incident Unfolded
Deputies say the confrontation began around 5:40 p.m. between a pickup truck and a black sedan near Long Bay Road, with dispatchers initially fielding reports of a standard road rage dispute before updated calls indicated shots had been fired.
Wounded Teen Driven Straight to the ER
Rather than waiting for first responders, the sedan’s occupants drove directly to the emergency room at HCA Middleburg. Deputies who responded to the hospital found an 18-year-old male being treated for a gunshot wound to his right thigh. Two other passengers, a 17-year-old and another 18-year-old, were also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting but were not injured.
Suspect Located and Arrested Nearby
After interviewing the victims and witnesses, deputies located Rodriguez driving his pickup truck westbound near County Road 218 and Bluejay Drive and conducted a traffic stop without incident. During the arrest, deputies reported seeing a black and tan semi-automatic handgun in plain view, tucked between the driver’s seat and center console.
Charges and What Comes Next
Rodriguez was booked into the Clay County jail on three counts of attempted murder, with bond set at $250,000 on each charge. Court records show his next scheduled court appearance is in January 2026. The investigation remains open as authorities continue piecing together the full sequence of events. As with any pending case, Rodriguez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.