ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — The man responsible for a deadly road rage attack was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Monday.
A jury found Joshua O’Keefe guilty of involuntary manslaughter, a felony, after police said he punched 68-year-old Ron Lawson multiple times during a road rage incident along Interstate 64 in O'Fallon, Missouri, last year leading to Lawson's death.
Police found Lawson unconscious in the cab of a black Ford F-150 on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, after responding to a call for a fight in progress. He was taken to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Witnesses told police O’Keefe and Lawson were driving westbound along the interstate and both cars stopped on the right shoulder.
Lawson stopped in front of O’Keefe’s car. Both got out and walked toward each other. O’Keefe ran toward Lawson and punched him in the face. He fell onto the right lane of the interstate and O’Keefe picked him up and punched him at least one more time before putting Lawson inside Lawson’s car, where troopers found him, according to court documents.
Police were able to file charges after they received dashcam and security videos and multiple tips from witnesses.
During their investigation and search for O'Keefe, police said O'Keefe's co-workers described him as “having a temper,” according to court documents.
“O'Keefe has the propensity to cause physical harm/death to anyone he comes into contact with,” troopers wrote in court documents.
A prosecutor in St. Charles County said O'Keefe could face up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty.