Crime & Safety

Episode of Road Rage in Snellville Ends in Violent Assault, Shots Fired

The suspect, who claimed to have served four years in Afghanistan, told police "I could have shot him if I wanted to."

A Lawrenceville man was arrested last week in connection to a road rage incident that occurred on Highway 78 between Lilburn and Snellville.

According to a Gwinnett County Police report, a 65-year-old man called authorities around 1:29 p.m. last Saturday, April 11, from an H&R Block off Stone Mountain Highway and Killian Hill Road to report that he had been shot at.

Some of his car windows had been shattered, there was a hole in the door and he had red liquid all over him that stung his skin, he told police. He also had an injury to his cheek.

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He told police that he was driving along Highway 78 near Lake Lucerne Road when a black pickup truck cut him off. At Killian Hill Road, the drivers came to a stoplight and the man asked the driver, later identified as 26-year-old Lawrenceville resident Thomas Burt, if he was trying to run him off the road.

The other man pulled up to his vehicle and stuck a gun out the window, according to the victim. The victim said red gel-like substances came out of the gun and struck his car.

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The victim stopped his car and was followed by Burt, who got out of his vehicle. The victim tried to roll up his window, but the suspect grabbed the glass, shattering it.

Burt allegedly stuck the gun to the victim's cheek and said, "Do you want me to shoot you? Do you want me to kill you?" according to the report.

The victim said no, but the suspect only pushed the barrel of the gun harder onto the man's cheek. Burt then backed off, but the victim heard two shots going into his car.

Burt returned to his car and left the scene while the victim drove to the bank and called police.

While police were interviewing the victim, Burt called police from a BP gas station near Hewatt Road saying that he had been stabbed in the arm multiple times. Burt claimed that he was actually the one who had been cut off. He alleged that the older man started cursing at him, and when he stopped his car, Burt couldn't move forward, so he stopped and got out to speak with the man.

He told police that they started fighting, and then the older man produced a knife and stabbed him several times in the arm. When he got out his gun, the man drove off.

Police could see only one stab wound on Burt; additionally, an officer found a pocket knife with fresh blood on it in plain sight on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Burt was no longer in possession of the gun. 

Burt admitted to having two 21-ounce cans of beer earlier that day with what he calls his "cocktail of medications": oxycodone, lexapro, xanax and wellbutrin for his high blood pressure and mild schizophrenia.

Multiple witnesses spoke with police and said they saw a younger man repeatedly punching another man in the face, pulling out a gun and shooting at the vehicle.

Burt was arrested on charges of battery, terroristic threats and acts, aggravated assault, and criminal damage.

According to one officer, Burt gave a "spontaneous utterance" before being taken off in the car. "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight," says the report. "That's what he [the victim] should have learned from that. I shot his door. I go to the range all the time, I could have shot him if I wanted to."

"That old guy should thank me for not killing him," he added.

He also said he didn't expect to get arrested. He said that he had served four years in Afghanistan and asked if his arrest was a "thank you for his 'service.'"

Inside the Police Reports runs regularly every week. The information is based solely on police incident reports provided on request. It does not indicate a conviction.


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