Report: Road Rage Motorists with History of Problems Behind the Wheel

The men involved in a fatal road rage incident earlier in the month in Livingston County apparently had quite a history with the law, including other confrontations with motorists and threats to shoot utility workers.  

The Lansing State Journal is reporting today that 69 year-old Martin Zale, who claims he shot and killed 43 year-old Derek Flemming in self defense, slapped or punched another motorist during an incident in Livonia back in 2008.  It happened, according to the report, in a fast food restaurant, where the motorist followed Zale after a road rage incident and confronted him like Flemming did.  The man, who pressed charges of assault, was not seriously injured, though.

Flemming, meantime, the man shot to death in the altercation this month in Livingston County, had reported problems to police on at least 2 other occasions and threatened to shoot Enbridge Energy workers or anyone else who came on his property.   The information is contained in police reports.

It's unclear if the information will be used in Zale's murder trial, but supporters of the 69 year-old's use of deadly force, say it should be, to show Flemming was not likely innocent in the altercation.

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