FENTON, Mo. — A Crystal City man was charged with murder after a road rage shooting Friday morning along Highway 141 in Fenton.
In addition to the murder charge, Robert Mulkey, 53, also faces a charge of armed criminal action, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. The victim, named by police Saturday morning, was 34-year-old High Ridge resident Benjamin Merritt.
Around 8:10 a.m., police were called to the area of Highway 141 and Gravois Bluffs Boulevard after a report of a traffic hazard. Once there, officers found several cars on the side of the road and a wounded man.
5 On Your Side saw a Merritt Landscape and Lawn Care vehicle and a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van at the scene, both of which were later towed away.
According to court documents, Mulkey and the victim were involved in a road rage incident. The victim got out of his car after stopping traffic and approached Mulkey who was still in his vehicle.
The victim "flicked his cigarette" at Mulkey's face and was returning to his vehicle when Mulkey shot him in the back, the documents said.
The victim was later taken to a St. Louis area hospital, where he died.
Eyewitness Justin Miller said he was behind the Merritt Landscape and Lawn Care truck and saw the confrontation unfold. Miller says he also saw a passenger in the company car.
Miller says the driver in the landscaping vehicle started the argument and was shot in the back by the driver of the Sprinter van.
"I don't know if he cut him off or not," Miller said. "But he was kind of at a weird angle, and then he went up to the window to confront the guy in the van. It was kind of weird cause he turned away. He kind of like ducked away like he threw something at him. And then you just heard a pop. While he was running away."
Chris Giger and his wife Courtney Nickelson were in the area and eating breakfast when they saw the large police presence. The couple says they knew something was terribly wrong.
"It's just so crazy because this is right in our backyard," Giger said. "We only live a couple of miles down the road and to hear of anything like this happening in this neighborhood, it's almost unheard of."
Nickelson echoed Giger's message.
"It's absolutely terrifying, we're so close to home," Nickelson said. "For this to happen so close to home to where you live, it's unheard of. I'm glad nobody else got hurt and a stray bullet didn't hit somebody."
As of 11:15 a.m., the scene was cleared and normal traffic resumed.
Police asked anyone with information to call the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.