Dec. 20—MITCHELL — A Springfield man pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Davison County felony court following a road rage incident that began as a minor traffic accident in early November.
Jerome Lewis, 66, received a suspended 30-day jail sentence, a $200 fine, and was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution.
The altercation started when Lewis, driving a pickup truck with a trailer, failed to yield and collided with another vehicle on Highway 37 near Mitchell. According to court documents, Lewis initially attempted to drive away after the collision. The victim then sped ahead to separate the vehicles and pulled over, with Lewis stopping behind him.
After both drivers stopped and got out of their vehicles, Lewis allegedly grabbed the victim by the throat, slammed him against his pickup truck, and threatened to kill him. The victim reported that Lewis screamed at him, asking if he wanted to “do this” here, and even suggested he would shoot the victim before returning to his vehicle, according to court documents.
Fearing for his life, the victim retreated to his own vehicle and called 911. Responding officers from the Davison County Sheriff’s Office noted apparent strangulation marks on the victim’s throat and scuff marks on his pickup’s passenger side.
As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed charges of hit and run (Class 1 misdemeanor) and aggravated assault by strangulation (Class 3 felony).