Driver Ejected In Apparent Road Rage Crash

The driver of a black vehicle that was involved in a fatal road rage crash came forward Wednesday and is cooperating with accident investigators, North Richland Hills police said.

[4/9/09 Update: After interviewing the driver of the Maxima police have determined that this was not a case of road rage, click here to get the latest in this story.]

Witnesses said a white GMC Envoy made erratic lane changes Tuesday as it closely followed the black vehicle southbound on Boulevard 26.

The Envoy's driver, Charles Greer, 75, of Colleyville, lost control of the vehicle during lane changes and ended up hitting a tree near the Tarrant County College Northeast Campus, said Keith Bowman, a North Richland Hills police investigator. Greer was ejected from the sport utility vehicle.

A helicopter transported Greer to a hospital, where he died later from his injuries.

Witnesses said the driver of the black vehicle appeared to pull over briefly, but then continued southbound, Bowman said. The individual’s identity has not been released because he is being interviewed as a witness, police said.

AAA Texas said the state needs to get tougher on road rage. According to the latest numbers available from the Texas Department of Safety, road rage was a factor in 219 crashes in 2001.

"Is this worth dying for?" said Dan Ronan, of AAA Texas. "And that's the question you have to ask yourself."

Ronan said AAA Texas wants the state's laws toughened to give district attorneys more tools.
Two bills before the Legislature would toughen jail sentences and require drivers who are involved in reckless-driving crashes to get counseling.

Most ragers are caught after a crash, but others are found when fellow motorists on cell phones report them.

If drivers are involved in a wreck with a road rager, they should get the other person's driver's license number and then back off, Ronan said. If things get really bad, call 911 and let the authorities handle it, he said.