A terrifying and potentially tragic situation unfolded on a local interstate Wednesday, and state police are now trying to identify the party responsible for it.
State police say a Bethlehem man’s vehicle was shot at by an unknown individual on I-78 east in Upper Saucon Township Wednesday. (FILE PHOTO)
Troopers from the Belfast barracks announced today that they are investigating a shooting that ocurred on I-78 east in Lehigh County around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Police said the apparent road rage incident involved two vehicles: a Chevy Tahoe operated by a 75-year-old Bethlehem man and a Dodge Charger driven by an unidentified individual.
According to a news release from state police, the Bethlehem man was traveling eastbound in the right lane at a point where the highway is three lanes wide when the person driving the Charger began traveling behind him “in an aggressive manner.”
Police said that as both vehicles continued eastbound, the driver of the Charger passed the Tahoe in the center lane near mile marker 61.2 in Upper Saucon Township.
It was at that point, they said, that the Bethlehem man observed the driver of the passing vehicle “point a handgun out the window.”
Police said that the display caused the Bethlehem man “to attempt to drive away.”
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Once he was “safe,” police said the man stopped his vehicle on I-78 east at the Hellertown (Rt. 412) exit in Northampton County and “observed a bullet hole in the rear bumper of his vehicle.”
They said he then drove to the state police barracks at Bethlehem to report the incident.
The Troop M Forensic Services Unit is assisting with this investigation, police said.
State police are asking anyone with information about the shooting and the driver involved to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Belfast Station at 610-759-6106.
