MISSOULA — New details about a "road rage" incident that has a man facing attempted deliberate homicide charges in Missoula are being revealed in court documents.
Missoula Police Department spokeswoman Lydia Arnold previously told MTN News that 31-year-old Cody S. Johnson was arrested in connection with what was initially reported to law enforcement as a "road rage incident."
Law enforcement previously told MTN News that police were dispatched to an incident in the 1700 block of Cooley Street where shots were fired on an unspecified number of victims at around 10:15 p.m. on Oct. 16.
A Missoula Police officer who responded to the scene found three 9-millimeter casings in the road, according to court documents. One person told law enforcement she had been driving with two passengers on Mullan Road near Great Northern Loop when a vehicle pulled out in front of her and slammed on its brakes nearly causing a collision. The vehicle did this a second time and was then driving extremely slowly, charging documents state.
The driver — later identified as Johnson — pulled over and allowed the woman to pass and then followed her home. Court documents state when she parked in front of her home, the other vehicle parked behind her and the driver began yelling at her.
Several people yelled at Johnson to leave. Other people — who court documents state were not near the Johnson but he began "yelling 'don’t come assault me!' and things of similar nature. The male then shot a gun out of his window three times before driving away.
Law enforcement reviewed surveillance footage that showed the vehicle as well as shots being fired and that some people were "directly in the line of fire based on where one bullet impacted a nearby truck," according to court documents.
A Missoula Police officer on patrol on Oct. 18 saw a vehicle matching the description near South Avenue and Johnson Sreet with a driver that matched the description of a person wanted in connection with the shooting. A traffic stop was initiated and the man — later identified as Johnson — exited the vehicle. Court documents state Johnson would not speak with law enforcement without an attorney present.
Police later obtained a search warrant and found a 9-millimeter handgun containing silver bullets in the center console of the vehicle. A detective then confirmed that the shell casings found at the scene were also silver and had been fired from a 9-millimeter handgun.
Johnson remains in the Missoula County Detention Facility where he is being held on $250,000 bond. Click here to read the court documents associated with the case.
