A 51-year-old man is dead as the result of a road rage incident in Anza.
56-year-old William Gibson and 51-year-old Steven Rusing, both Anza residents, had a history of hostility with each other – according to The California Highway Patrol. Monday, it all came to a head at 1:39 PM as The Desert Sun reports:
Rusing was driving his blue Saturn SL1 south on Terwilliger Road just before 1:40 p.m. when he saw Gibson, driving his 1994 Ford Ranger north on Terwilliger Road.
Rusing turned his car directly towards Gibson’s car in an attempt to cause a collision, but Gibson saw him coming and made an abrupt turn to the left to avoid the crash.
The vehicles smashed into each other at the intersection of Ovenshire Road, trapping Gibson and Rusing both in their cars.
Rusing, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene, while Gibson was airlifted to Inland Valley Medical Center with major injuries.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash as intentional attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon (the car being the deadly weapon). They have not ruled out drugs and alcohol as a factor.