SAN ANTONIO – Dean DeSoto has been trying to track road rage in San Antonio for years. He said one of the latest cases, involving a 10-year-old girl being shot, is a heartbreaking reminder of how dangerous the problem has become.
“A 10-year-old going to school should not be shot,” DeSoto said. Road rage has “no discrimination,” he said.
KSAT first covered what the San Antonio Police Department called a fit of “road rage” on Friday morning. Since then, KSAT has heard your concerns about aggressive drivers in the city. That’s why we spoke to DeSoto, who is the executive director of the Community Alliance for Traffic Safety. He teaches classes to rehabilitate aggressive drivers.
“How have you been shaping conversations in your classes since that happened?” KSAT Reporter Avery Everett asked.
“Accountability and more strategies to enforce,” he said.
“There are so many possible triggers of road rage. What should drivers be looking out for?” Everett asked.
“Anybody who’s acting slightly erratically,” DeSoto said. “Because a lot of this is the impulsive anger.”
“Is there something that drivers can do to minimize their risk of dealing with an aggressive driver or someone who might commit road rage?” Everett asked.
“Well, I would say one, be very observant,” he said. “Two, you need to de-escalate any situation.”
KSAT checked back in with Jason Gates to see how his daughter, Alisa Gates, who was shot, was doing on Tuesday. He said she is out of surgery and getting better.
Bryan Arceo, 41, was arrested in connection with the road rage shooting case. Click here to learn more about his arrest.
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