Jackson County prosecutor says road rage cases are on the rise- and so are the consequences

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - On Wednesday, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office reported a rising trend of road rage incidents escalating to violence.

According to a release, road rage situations involving guns have doubled at the national level since 2022. In Kansas City, the prosecutor’s office has received around 19 cases of road rage since that time that escalated to assault, vehicular injury or gun use.

Prosecutor Melesa Johnson cited five separate cases she’s handled this year alone, all involving suspects now charged with road rage-related crimes: Isaiah Francis.

Johnson said there are “severe consequences” for allowing minor traffic annoyances to escalate into violence, and offered advice for drivers who find themselves in dangerous situations.

“We are urging all drivers to that a moment of rage is not worth a lifetime of consequences or your freedom,” Johnson said. “If you encounter an aggressive driver, do not engage. If you feel threatened, call 911, or drive to the nearest police station, hospital, or fire station.”

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