A Crestview man accused of shooting his firearm during a road rage incident on the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector Road is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
77-year old Ted Simmons of 429 Mara Drive was arrested today by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to a report of an armed disturbance on the road around 9:15 Monday morning. A Fed Ex driver, 32-year old Tim Pierson of Crestview, says he saw Simmons stop and flail his arms out the window of his Mercedes. Pierson says he stopped to see if
Simmons was okay. He says Simmons got out of his car with a gun and began yelling threats as he walked towards the delivery truck. Pierson says Simmons then began hitting him and fired the gun near his head as he got out of the truck with his hands up.
A trainee riding with the Fed Ex driver was able to come up behind Simmons and grab him. Both he and Pierson then wrestled Simmons to the ground and took away the gun. Simmons complained of a shoulder injury and was taken to Twin Cities Hospital in Niceville for treatment prior to his arrest.
Investigators say Simmons told them the Fed Ex truck was tailgating him on State Road 85 southbound prior to getting on the merge ramp onto the Connector Road. He claims he grabbed Pierson’s leg to try to pull him out of the truck and Pierson and the trainee jumped him. Simmons says he pulled his gun and fired it over Pierson’s head because he was outnumbered and in fear.
Investigators made contact with two independent witnesses, who both corroborated Pierson’s statement.
