MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — What started as a vacation for the King family ended with bullets flying across the interstate. The victims said it escalated from an unexpected road rage incident
The family of four was traveling home to Georgia from a vacation in New York. Ashley was driving the car while her husband, Patrick, was in the passenger seat.
"We were on the highway going down, we had been traveling most of the day," Ashley said.
However, they never made it home. They only made it to Sweetwater in Monroe County. Ashley was driving in the far-left lane.
"This car came up behind us, flashing his lights and honking his horn just driving really crazy," Ashley said." Then, he came around from the back of the car all the way front and just started shooting. My husband got hit in the chest."
The King's 8-year-old daughter was taking a nap in the third row of the car, which saved her life, they say.
"If my daughter had been sitting in the backseat, she would have been hit. But she was taking a nap in the third row. My 1-year-old son, he was in the backseat behind me while I was driving," Ashley said.
Patrick was airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he is still being treated for his gunshot wound. The Tennessee Highway Patrol identified the shooter as 54-year-old Tyrome Ferguson from Sweetwater.
Several officers contacted and interviewed Ferguson, who they said confirmed he had been involved in a road rage incident. Ferguson was taken into custody without incident.
White said Ferguson faces four counts of aggravated assault and said other charges are pending.
The King family says it made them realize how serious road rage can be.
"We were just a family trying to go home from vacation and we just wanted to go home," Ashley said.
She wants to warn others of the dangers on the roadways.
"If you think that someone is being aggressive on the ropes, get away from them. Get over into another lane, get off the exit if you have to, just get away from them because you never know what that person is going to do." Ashley said.
The family says they have a GoFundMe set-up to help pay for their medical bills from this accident.
Patrick has been in the hospital all week with his injuries. However, the family says the PTSD alone from the shooting will take a lot of counseling to overcome.
