Witness helps woman thrown into traffic during alleged Nashville road rage incident

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - An elderly woman was hospitalized with severe head trauma on Sunday after Metro Police said a man threw her into traffic during an alleged road rage incident, according to court documents.

Billy Johnson, 48, also known as Billy Jackson, was charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

An eyewitness, who wanted to stay anonymous, told WSMV she watched the whole scene unfold.

The incident happened at the intersection of Old Hickory Boulevard and Shute Lane at about 4:45 p.m. when Metro Police said an argument between two drivers quickly turned physical.

“It was one of those things where I thought it was like going in slow motion and I said, ‘Am I really seeing what I think I’m seeing happening right here?’” the witness said.

One of the victims told police Johnson was driving aggressively and nearly rear-ended him, before getting out of his vehicle.

The two men began to argue, and the 80-year-old woman got out of the car to break up the fight, police said. That’s when Johnson allegedly picked up the woman and threw her into the opposite lane of traffic, according to police.

“As I was coming up to the intersection, I saw a man with what I thought at first was a crowbar in his hands, but I think it was a flashlight trying to break the back window of one of the cars,” the witness shared.

Metro Police said minutes before the man got out of his car to attack the car window, the man sped up and nearly rear-ended the victims’ car.

“When it was happening you could tell that they were just trying saying ‘stop, woah, woah, woah,’” the witness said.

The witness said at the time, the driver of the car being attacked was using his car to follow his 80-year-old mother home in the car when the madness ensued.

“By the time I got 911 on the phone, I looked out of the corner of my eye and he had her by the shoulders and threw her across the center lane into oncoming traffic,” the witness said. “Just to see her go flying like that was just, my heart stopped for a minute. It was one of those gut punches where you think I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

Luckily the traffic light was red when the witness said she jumped out of her car to run and help the elderly lady who hit her head on the pavement.

“Thankfully the ambulance got here as quickly as it did and they took her. Her son had the presence of mind to get the license play so they could go and get him,” the witness said.

Police said the license plate helped them track down Johnson and arrested him at his home.

Authorities said the woman was transported to TriStar Skyline Medical Center with an internal head bleed and severe head trauma. She’s now in the intensive care unit, according to police. With the help of the Mount Juliet Police Department, Metro Police officers were able to track down Johnson and arrest him outside of his home.

“She was tiny and he is this big guy and there’s just nothing in the world that’s worth hurting somebody like that over a silly traffic incident,” the witness said.

Johnson has since been released on bond.

Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.