A 22-year-old man who told police that he “hates driving” and that “all it has caused me is problems” has been charged with shooting at other motorists during two road rage incidents and pointing a gun at a motorist in a third case.
Man who shot at other motorists in road rage incidents in St. Paul charged with multiple felonies
James Allen Ameer Smith told authorities he “hates driving” and “all it has caused me is problems.”
The Minnesota Star Tribune
December 3, 2024 at 2:59PM
James Allen Ameer Smith, 22, of Minneapolis, was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court with two felonies, including drive-by shooting toward an occupied motor vehicle and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to the complaint:
On Nov. 14, a motorist with two children in his car was driving on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul and said he was being tailgated by a black Nissan. The driver “brake-checked” the vehicle to get the Nissan driver to back off. After both vehicles turned east on Selby Avenue, the Nissan driver pulled alongside the driver, rolled down his window and shot at him, according to police.
The Nissan sped onto Ayd Mill Road and the driver who had been shot at followed and relayed the Nissan’s license plate to 911. A trooper responded and took a report and saw a bullet hole in the driver’s front fender.
Troopers were familiar with the Nissan as it had been involved in a crash on Interstate 94 on Oct. 17. The vehicle had been registered to Smith. Over the past two years, troopers had tagged Smith for using a center turn lane to pass other motorists, driving after suspension and speeding several times.
Smith provided his cellphone number to the troopers who responded to the Oct. 17 crash. Investigators determined Smith’s phone was in the area where the Nov. 14 shooting happened and was present in another St. Paul drive-by shooting involving a Jeep on Oct. 12. Police took photos of Smith’s Nissan at his apartment building and determined damage to the left front fender matched that of damage to the Nissan captured by a surveillance camera on Oct. 12.
On Nov. 27, troopers learned about a gun-pointing incident involving the Nissan. The next day, police arrested Smith as he drove the Nissan in St. Louis Park. Officers searched the Nissan and recovered a spent casing on the driver’s side floor, three live rounds of ammunition in the center console, a live round of ammunition on the rear driver’s seat floor and a Glock handgun under the passenger seat.
Smith told police he didn’t recall a road rage incident involving a Jeep on Summit Avenue, but said, “If they are saying it’s my car, then I guess it happened.” He also said, “I hate driving — all it has caused me is problems — tickets at least for speeding.”
Smith requested to speak to a lawyer and did not answer questions from the Nov. 14 incident.
Smith was being held in the Ramsey County jail as of Tuesday morning, according to online jail records.
James Allen Ameer Smith told authorities he “hates driving” and “all it has caused me is problems.”
