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Grapevine Police Arrest Suspect in Road Rage Shooting

Grapevine Police said because of information from the victim, a witness and surveillance video in the area, they were able to find and arrest the suspect

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Early Saturday morning, Grapevine Police arrested a man in connection with a Friday morning road rage shooting where a woman was shot through the neck during rush hour.

Officers served an arrest warrant to 30-year-old Brandon Leotta Rutt early Saturday morning. Grapevine Police said Rutt, who lives in Euless, was taken into custody at his apartment. He's been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

"We’re very proud of the staff we have, sworn and non who worked on this case, developing leads getting addresses and then acting so quickly. Our detectives worked all night to get this arrest, they didn’t go to sleep, they wanted to make sure this man was off the streets and to protect everyone," said Amanda McNew, a spokesperson for the Grapevine Police Department.

During rush hour on Friday, A 27-year-old woman entered the southbound lanes of Texas 121 near Bass Pro Drive near the merge with Texas 114 at about 7:15 a.m., according to police.

In a statement, police said she encountered an aggressive driver already traveling on 121. The two became involved in a road rage confrontation.

"He pulled up next to her, so she was driving in one lane and he was next to her, on her driver's side, when he got his gun out, aimed at it, went through her driver-side window, through her neck and out the passenger window, so it shattered the glass," explained McNew.

She said the 27-year-old's husband was on the phone during the incident.

"She was driving home and he heard everything happening, so when he got to the scene he was worried, [asking,] 'Is my wife going to be alive or not?'" described McNew.

The woman survived the shooting and gave the police her account and a description of the shooting. It is possible the woman may have cut off the suspect, according to police. The two drivers began driving next to each other, the suspect then drove in front of the woman, then pulled back up next to her silver Honda CRV.

Police said the man then pointed a small pistol at her and fired. The bullet went through the woman’s neck.

She safely pulled over on the shoulder of the highway as the man kept driving away.

"She's very fortunate and lucky that she's alive and that she was able to pull over," said McNew.

Paramedics transported the woman to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Grapevine detectives and police used information from both the victim, a witness and surveillance video. Officials worked throughout the night to obtain evidence and ensure their findings were correct and had enough evidence to arrest Rutt.

"We appreciate the victim who was able to stay calm enough to pull over safely which helped save her life, a witness who also stopped to help and all the detectives putting so many hours trying to find video, work off a description and be able to locate this vehicle and make an arrest so quickly," said McNew.

Brandon Leotta Rutt
Grapevine Police
Brandon Leotta Rutt
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