Man charged in road rage shooting

Thomas Richard Smith, Jr., 74, of Hiddenite, was arrested Wednesday (August 28) by Alexander County Sheriff’s officers. He is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, assault by pointing a firearm and carrying a weapon to terrorize the public.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office received a call about shots fired in the parking lot of Taylorsville Savings Bank in Hiddenite. The caller said two men got into a verbal argument in the bank’s parking lot. One of the men pointed a gun and fired at the other man.

Officers arrived on scene and found one of the men in the bank parking lot. The incident reportedly occurred after a road rage incident in Hiddenite. After an investigation, police determined that Thomas Richard Smith, Jr. pulled out a handgun and fired a shot in the bank parking lot.

No injuries or property damage were reported. The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Taylorsville Police Department, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and North Carolina Probation and Parole for their assistance. Smith was released on $7,500 bail. He will make his initial appearance in District Court on Oct. 28.