Two 17-year-olds are in custody after a road rage incident on I-20 in Augusta ended with two people being shot. The victims are recovering at Doctors Hospital and are listed in stable condition.
🔍 What Happened: Richmond County investigators arrested Miranda Myers of North Augusta and Cameron Howard of Augusta in connection with a June 29 shooting near mile marker 196 on I-20. The shooting occurred around 4:29 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
Both teens face two counts of aggravated assault. Howard also faces a charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
👥 The Victims: Authorities said the victims were taken to Doctors Hospital and are expected to recover.
⚖️ What’s Next: Myers and Howard are being held at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. The investigation is ongoing.
🔎 Between the Lines: While investigators haven’t said what sparked the confrontation, the case underscores how traffic encounters can escalate when firearms are involved.
Road Rage By The Numbers:
- 82% of drivers in the U.S. admit to having road rage or driving aggressively at least once in the past year.
- 59% of drivers reported showing anger by honking.
- 45% of drivers report changing lanes without signaling.
- 42% of drivers claimed they’ve yelled or cursed loudly at another driver.
- More than 550 people were shot in road rage incidents in the U.S. in 2022.
- 80% of Americans are involved in road rage behavior at least once a year.
- Approximately 47% of all U.S. drivers, or 95 million individuals, have screamed at a person in traffic.
- 32% of drivers admit to honking horns or making obscene gestures.
- 26% of drivers admit to swerving between lanes or tailgating in times of stress.
- The number of road rage shootings has doubled in recent years. In 2018, 247 road rage shootings were reported across the U.S. That number jumped to 522.
Teens & Guns in Georgia:
• Firearms were the leading cause of death for Georgia youth (ages 1–17) in 2022. CDC and Johns Hopkins data confirm firearms surpassed car crashes and other causes among 1–17‑year‑olds in 2022.
• Georgia averaged 205 firearm deaths per year among children and teens (ages 0–19) from 2018–2022. According to EveryStat’s analysis of CDC WONDER data, that five‑year average included roughly 66% homicides and 28% suicides.
• Among these 205 annual deaths, more than two‑thirds were homicides. That breakdown equates to approximately 135 homicides and 57 suicides per year, on average.
• Georgia’s youth gun death rate rose 56% from 2013 to 2022, compared to a 36% national rise. This increase is driven mainly by fatal firearm homicides.
• In 2022, Georgia had the 8th‑highest gun homicide rate overall, and firearm deaths (including youth) were trending upward.
⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
How to Read and Understand The News
When reading news, remember:
- Truth doesn’t change because we dislike it
- Facts remain facts even when they make us uncomfortable
- Events happen whether we accept them or not
- Good reporting often challenges us
- The news isn’t choosing a position — it is relaying what official, verified sources have said.
- Blaming the press for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Before dismissing news that bothers you, ask:
- What evidence supports this story?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I “shooting the messenger” because I don’t like what is happening?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not just comfort.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
