Grand jury declines to indict in Tempe road rage case

PHOENIX — A grand jury declined to indict a man who police said shot and killed another man in a road rage shooting in Tempe earlier this month, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office confirmed on Sunday. 

Police said Dustin Jackson shot Stevan Bevan on July 1 near Warner Road and Priest Drive. 

According to court documents, Jackson said the road rage event began when he honked his horn at Bevan when Bevan didn’t go after a traffic light turned green. Bevan “waited through another light cycle and after the light turned green again, they both proceeded,” documents said.

According to documents, Jackson said both vehicles were driving in different lanes but Bevan’s vehicle “was swerving into his lane but never made contact with his vehicle.”

Jackson said Bevan’s vehicle stopped directly in front of him. Bevan got out and walked toward Jackson’s vehicle, according to court documents. 

Jackson reached for his gun, a Springfield Hellcat 9 mm, when he got to Bevan’s car, documents said. Jackson said he opened his driver’s side door and saw the victim “use his right hand to reach around his back.” Jackson fired his gun at that point. Bevan was around five feet away at the time, court documents said. 

Jackson said he feared for the lives of both himself and his daughter at the time of the shooting, documents said.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office presented the case, with video of the events, to a Grand Jury, which declined to indict Jackson on homicide and weapons-related charges. He was indicted on drug charges.