Suspect drove to work after fatal Fort Worth road rage shooting: affidavit

The suspect accused of killing an Everman ISD teacher's aide in a Thursday road rage shooting on I-20 in Fort Worth continued driving to work after the incident, an arrest affidavit states. [Fox 4 Dallas]

A Fort Worth woman died Thursday morning when a fellow driver fired a single gunshot during a heated traffic encounter on Interstate 20, authorities said. The shooting claimed the life of LaTaivia Davis, a teacher's aide at E. Ray Elementary School in Everman Independent School District, just before 6:40 a.m. near the Granbury Road exit.

Patrick Lawrence, 37, was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the incident. According to an arrest affidavit, Lawrence was traveling eastbound on I-20 when Davis began following his vehicle closely from behind. When Davis changed lanes and moved ahead of Lawrence's blue Volkswagen, investigators said Lawrence drew a firearm and discharged one round through the passenger window of Davis' red sedan, striking her in the upper arm and torso.

After the shooting, Lawrence did not stop. Instead, he exited the interstate near Granbury Road and drove to his workplace in Justin, more than 30 miles away. Officers located and detained him there as he was preparing to leave for lunch. Police discovered a handgun in the driver's side door pocket of his vehicle. A single shell casing recovered at the scene matched the firearm found in Lawrence's possession, according to investigators.

A witness vehicle equipped with a dashboard camera recorded the encounter, providing law enforcement with crucial identification information about the blue Volkswagen. Police cadets conducted a search along I-20 and recovered evidence near the Granbury Road exit. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene.

Everman ISD expressed grief over the loss in a statement, calling Davis "a valued member of our staff" and extending condolences to her family and colleagues. The Vision Church of Fort Worth also identified Davis as a member of its congregation.

The shooting renewed concerns about aggressive driving on Texas roadways. According to AAA's Foundation for Traffic Safety, roughly 1,700 road rage crashes are documented annually in Texas, with the foundation reporting that 96% of surveyed drivers acknowledged engaging in some form of aggressive driving within the previous month. Fort Worth police urged motorists to avoid confrontations on the road, emphasizing that no destination justifies endangering lives.

"No place is worth your life, to get there on time, it's not," said Officer Cynthia Wood, a police spokesperson. "Don't get involved, don't engage in situations like that, avoid eye contact, let them pass."