Road Rage Fight Ends with Truck Driver Killing Marine While His Family Watched

A Texas man is behind bars after police say a heated road rage encounter ended with a Marine fatally shot — all while the victim’s wife and three young children sat in the car.

Dayton Alexander Morgan, 23, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Trevor Julian.

The shooting happened around 5 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the busy intersection of Grande Boulevard and Paluxy Drive in Tyler, roughly 110 miles southeast of Dallas. Police say they received multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire.

According to local reports, Julian was riding in the passenger seat of a white Tesla driven by his wife. Their three children were in the back seat.

Morgan was driving a truck directly behind the Tesla when both vehicles approached a red light. Morgan allegedly told investigators that the Tesla stopped abruptly, leaving his truck closer to the vehicle than he liked.

What happened next turned deadly.

Police say Julian got out of the Tesla and approached Morgan’s truck, reportedly yelling at him to back up. Morgan remained seated but opened his driver’s side door.

According to investigators, the two men exchanged heated words. Morgan allegedly responded with, “What the (expletive) is your problem?” as tensions escalated.

Morgan later told police that Julian walked toward his door. He claimed he grabbed a handgun from his center console, racked the slide, and pointed it toward the open door. He then fired a single shot through the window, striking Julian.

Authorities say Morgan admitted that Julian never made verbal threats and did not appear to be armed.

Detectives ultimately determined that Morgan’s claim of self-defense was not supported by the evidence.

Julian died from his injuries.

Morgan is currently being held in the Smith County jail as the case moves forward.