An elderly man from Georgia, captured smirking in his mugshot, is accused of driving his vehicle into a group of cyclists in a fit of road rage.
Authorities allege that 72-year-old Jerry Wayne Ross hit at least two cyclists with his SUV on April 23 in Cherokee County, Georgia, resulting in one cyclist being knocked to the ground, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
Video footage from a cellphone captured a black Honda Pilot aggressively honking and dangerously skimming past the cyclists.
The video also showed the vehicle’s license plate, which enabled deputies to identify and locate Ross.
He was arrested shortly thereafter at a nearby neighbor’s residence, as reported by the outlet.
Ross reportedly expressed significant frustration with the cyclists, having called 911 on multiple occasions and filed complaints with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, according to an incident report referenced by WSB-TV.
He also said it was not ‘reasonable’ for cyclists to take up an entire lane, so ‘he drove them.’
Ross now faces six charges, including hit-and-run, aggressive driving and failing to maintain a safe distance from a bicycle.
Jerry Wayne Ross, 72, is suspected of striking at least two cyclists on April 23. He now faces six charges, including hit-and-run
Footage captured on a cellphone by one of the cyclists showed Ross’ black SUV honking and then crashing into the group of cyclists
One of the cyclists involved, Richard Collins, said he suffered soft tissue damage and road rash after being thrown off the bike.
‘Once I turned around, the vehicle was right on my left leg,’ Collins told AtlantaNewsFirst.
He said he was riding at less than 15 miles per hour when the driver hit him and kept driving.
Collins said things could have ‘very easily’ turned out worse.
‘It’s a lot of mass to take on asphalt,’ he said. ‘It never feels good to hit the deck on concrete.’
The experienced cyclist said it was his first time being hit by a car, but added that would not deter him from hopping back on his own bicycle.
‘I’m very hopeful that within the next week, I’ll be back on my bike,’ he said.
Richard Collins, one of the cyclists hit, said he suffered soft tissue damage and road rash after being thrown off his bike
Another cyclist, Joel Eaby, said he was the last person in the group when he heard Ross coming up behind them.
‘This guy was just laying on the horn,’ Eaby told the outlet.
He was the one who recorded Ross’ car with his phone to try to share the license plate with law enforcement.
‘We know that sometimes getting stuck behind a group of cyclists can be an inconvenience, but that inconvenience usually only lasts a few minutes,’ Eaby said.
The group was participating in a 32-mile ride when Ross allegedly followed the cyclists for approximately two minutes.
Under Georgia law, drivers are required to provide at least three feet of distance when passing cyclists.
Ross was described as ‘angry’ by Scott Hager, one of the cyclists who was hit.
‘I know you’re upset,’ Hager told the outlet. ‘We’re out here to have fun.’
He added: ‘We’re out here to get exercise. Just give us a little bit of time, you’ll be able to get around us.’
Ross allegedly followed the cyclists for about two minutes before striking them
Joel Eaby, who recorded Ross’ car, said that the elderly man was ‘just laying on the horn’ prior to the incident
Shaune Huysaman, the owner of Whitetail Bicycles and Coffee Company, said he had organized the ride.
‘Even when you ride solo and not impeding any traffic, people are still super angry toward cyclists for some reason,’ Huysaman said.
He called on drivers to ‘show some grace’ in the wake of the alleged road rage incident.
‘I know cyclists will make mistakes, same as drivers,’ he said.
‘The difference is, when cyclists make mistakes, they’re not going to kill another driver. In a car, you’re going to kill another person.’
Ross is currently being held at the Cherokee County jail on no bond, according to WSB-TV.
It was not immediately clear if he had entered a plea or retained an attorney.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
