Road rage suspect accused of causing crash, shooting at driver in SW OKC

A crash over the weekend turned into a road rage shooting in southwest Oklahoma City, according to Oklahoma City police officials.

Police arrested 25-year-old Tharyn Pierce and booked him into the Oklahoma County Detention Center where he remains in custody. Pierce allegedly told police the other driver waived a gun at him, however, evidence in Pierce’s car and injuries to the other driver told police a much different story.

Police were called to the area of Southwest 59th Street and May Avenue on Sunday morning to investigate a shooting. Police said the man driving a truck was shot in the abdomen and officers found multiple bullet holes in the truck. Police also learned the injured driver was involved in a crash but the other person left the scene. 

While officers were investigating, they said Pierce called 911 to report a crash. Police met Pierce at his home several miles from the shooting scene. 

“His story or account of what happened wasn’t consistent with what they learned prior to speaking to him,” said Sgt. Dillon Quirk, Oklahoma City Police Department.

According to an arrest affidavit, Pierce was taken into custody and to downtown police headquarters for questioning. Pierce told detectives the driver in the truck cut him off in traffic and crashed into his car. Pierce said he followed the driver and when he pulled up next to the truck the driver flashed a gun at him. Police noted in the affidavit that Pierce denied shooting at the other driver but officers found spent shell casings in his car, along with an empty gun holster and a 40-caliber magazine at his home.

“They ultimately placed that driver under arrest,” said Quirk. “He was booked into jail on an assault complaint.”

Police said they never found Pierce's gun. The suspect claimed he had not seen the gun in weeks and that it was either at his home or his family's home in Maud. Pierce told detectives the spent shell casings found in his car were from him shooting the gun four weeks prior. He also told police he collects shell casings.