Merced police arrest driver accused of shooting at vehicle during road rage incident
A suspect accused of shooting at another driver in a road rage incident has been arrested in Merced, police say.
At 3:38 p.m. Sunday officers responded to the area of West Yosemite Avenue and M Street for a report of a shooting, according to a Merced Police Department news release.
Police said officers located the suspect’s vehicle at a residence in north Merced and arrested Daniel Ray Shelton, 21. Police said the shooting was connected to a road rage incident where Shelton allegedly brandished a firearm prompting a witness to call 911.
According to police, Shelton is accused of firing multiple rounds at the victim’s vehicle which was struck twice in the incident. Authorities said the witness followed Shelton while on the phone with a 911 dispatcher.
Shelton is accused of stopping his vehicle as the witness followed him and continuing to fire rounds out of his vehicle as the victim drove away, according to the release.
Police said a firearm and multiple shell casings were located inside Shelton’s vehicle. He was arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle, according to police.
Anyone with information regarding the alleged crime is asked to contact Det. Raymond Valdez at 209-388-7829 or by email at valadezr@cityofmerced.org. Some crimes can be reported through the Merced Police Department website and anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 209-385-4725.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Merced Area Crime Stoppers website.
