Police activity in Orinda where there were reports of a shooting on Thursday, September 12, 2024.
ORINDA, Calif. - The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said on Wednesday that charges will not be filed against a 72-year-old man accused of fatally shooting another driver after a road rage incident.
The incident occurred on the morning of Sept. 12, 2024 on Stephens Drive in Orinda. The 72-year-old man was driving a Tesla while 50-year-old Scott Decker was driving a Toyota 4Runner, authorities said in September.
The Tesla driver had passed Decker, who was allegedly moving slowly and moving off to the right side of the road, and Decker responded by pulling in front of the Tesla and blocking its path.
Decker then exited his car and approached the Tesla driver, and punched him three times in the face.
The Tesla driver, who is a registered gun owner and had a concealed carry permit, allegedly shot Decker in his neck. He then called police and told officers he shot in self-defense, KTVU reported in September.
Decker died at the scene from his injuries.
When the shooting first occurred, officers detained the Tesla driver and recovered his gun.
Victim in deadly Orinda road-rage incident identified
Authorities have identified the man who was shot following a heated road rage incident that sent shockwaves in Orinda.
Both the Tesla driver and Decker lived in the affluent small city of Orinda.
The shooting took neighbors by surprise when it happened, as homicides in Orinda are very rare.
Felt among neighbors
Local perspective:
"I heard a loud bang and my first thought was, ‘OK, gun’ and then I thought, ‘No way.' I thought maybe it was just like a tire blew," said neighbor Shawn James back in September.
Decker was engaged and was taking care of his fiancée's children.
Decker's father was estranged from his son, but previously told KTVU he was saddened by his death.
"Too young, too fast," he said. "He was a helluva kid. I hadn’t seen him in 10 years. It’s just sad, just so sad that such wasted talent."
Asked about reports the other driver told police he had acted in self-defense, the father said, "I have no idea what Scott did, you know? He could be pretty aggressive at times, so I don’t know. But I'm going to let, I'll let the cops figure that out, and I don’t even want to get involved in that."
The 72-year-old Tesla driver lived a half-mile from the scene.
The whole incident was captured on camera in the Tesla, officials said.
After reviewing the evidence, the DA's office said they would not file charges.
The Source: The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office