Road rage incidents see increase in Marshfield

In April, the Marshfield Police Department saw a number of road rage reports. One of these resulted in the suspect garnishing a weapon, leading to their arrest. 

Andrea Buckner, of Marshfield, was charged with a peace disturbance and 4th degree assault following an incident on April 19. An officer was dispatched about a road rage dispute where both parties were parked at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. When they arrived, a man was outside of his vehicle, waving his arms to get the officer’s attention. 

The probable cause statement details that the victim and his wife were headed toward Casey’s on Washington when the driver of a dark vehicle began to brake check them. The victim then said they saw a gun being waved towards them and heard “I’m going to fill you with lead.”

Both parties continued to travel east on West Jackson Street as the victim and his wife were taking their child to Hubble Elementary. The victim then identified the gun as a silver revolver with black powder and informed the officer that he did not want to press charges. 

The statement continues as officers asked Buckner what happened. She stated that she was driving on Jackson Street but was being followed by the other vehicle while trying to take her child to Webster Elementary. She told the officer she was scared because the other vehicle was honking their horn and following her. 

When officers asked where the firearm was located, she explained that it was between her seat and center console. The officer asked if she pointed the gun and she said no, she kept the firearm in her lap. The gun was a black powder pistol.

The officer told the suspect that she is allowed to use a firearm when she feels that her life is in imminent danger, though she would have to articulate why she felt her life was in danger. According to the statement, Buckner stated she had taken a conceal carry course and was advised to look into taking a refresher course. She was then told that if the other party decided to press charges, she would be arrested. 

A School Resource Officer followed her while she dropped her child off at Webster Elementary and informed the MPD officer that Buckner was also employed by Webster Elementary. 

Body camera footage was gathered at the Webster County Justice Center and the video of the parking lot showed the dark color car driving on locust and pulling into the Webster Elementary parking lot. The video showed a silver vehicle behind the dark colored car pull into the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. A tree blocked the view of the car and it couldn’t be seen on video. Shortly after, the dark colored car pulled into the parking lot of St. Pulls and parks multiple spaces away.

The victim’s verbal statement reiterated that Buckner was flashing a firearm at him on Jackson Street. The victim exited his vehicle in the road and yelled at the other driver that he had children in the vehicle. The driver pointed the gun out the window and aimed it at the victim, threatening to “fill him with lead.” 

Since the drivers were headed the same direction, when the victim saw Buckner pull into Webster Elementary, he pulled into the church parking lot across the street because he did not want to be in the same place as her. She then pulled in and parked a few spaces away. 

He told officers he only exited the vehicle after he saw a police car to flag it down. According to the probable cause statement, both parties made 911 calls regarding the incident. 

Though Buckner reported to the responding officer that she did not pull a gun on the victim, but had it in her lap, her call told dispatch, “I just had an individual run up on my car with me and my kids in it,” she continues to say “I’m going to let you know right now I pulled a gun on him. I have kids with me and I will not be ran up on like that.”

The victim’s 911 call said “This woman just pulled in front of us and almost made us crash, then she started to brake check us and stopped in front of us and then she pulled a gun on us,” the audio continued “I stepped outside the car because she stopped in front of us in the middle of traffic.”

On April 21, the victim expressed to police that after he and his wife had time to think, they decided to move forward with charges. On this date, a warrant was issued and served on April 26. Buckner’s first court appearance was May 3, where she entered a waiver and not guilty plea. She had her initial appearance before Judge Justin Evans Tuesday, May 9 and entered a plea of not guilty. Buckner is set for a preliminary hearing on July 13.

“If you're in a road rage situation and you’re not the aggressor, you need to call 911. You need to stay in your car, drive to a police department, to an open business, somewhere that will be safe for you to call 911,” said Marshfield Police Chief Doug Fannen. “What people don't want to do is stop and have an altercation… Don't put yourself in a non deadly force situation to where one of you is pulling a gun out, and it's becoming a deadly force situation.”

The range of punishment for a class E felony is imprisonment in the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections for a term of years not less than one year and not to exceed four years; or by imprisonment for a special term not to exceed one year in the county jail; or by a fine not to exceed $10,000; or by both imprisonment and a fine.