POLK COUNTY, Fla. – An arrest has been made in a deadly road rage shooting on an I-4 off-ramp that killed an Altamonte Springs man, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Daniele Hamilton, 58, was arrested Tuesday after detectives used surveillance video near the shooting to track him down, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. The shooting happened just after 2 a.m. Sunday on the I-4 ramp to Highway 27.
The victim, Kevin Berry, was heading to work in Polk County when he was shot, deputies said. He was taken to the hospital in “grave” condition and died on Tuesday, according to sheriff’s officials.
A witness told deputies that a dark-colored car and Berry’s white Dodge pickup truck were driving around each other aggressively. Deputies said the witness reported that the two vehicles were moving back and forth between lanes on the off-ramp and then stopped.
“Both of them had windows down, screaming at each other, when our witness was going around. So they had words long before there were shots,” Judd said.
The sheriff said Hamilton’s vehicle ended up being a small, silver-colored vehicle. Berry’s body was found next to his pickup, officials said.
“We don’t know who started the road rage, but we know this,” Judd said. “We know that when Daniele shot and killed Kevin, he ended the road rage. And that’s called murder.”
On Wednesday, News 6 spoke to Dan Crawford, a friend of the victim. Crawford explained that he and Berry grew up together.
“It still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Crawford said. “It’s unbelievable that you see so almost every day for the last 50 years. It’s just hard.”
Crawford added that he’s glad to see that the sheriff’s office was able to make an arrest.
“I want to be in the courtroom because I want to see face to face. He took out my friend — my lifetime friend — and I hope justice goes the correct, right way,” he said.
Judd said while gathering video from businesses on Highway 27, detectives found footage where you can hear two gunshots and people yelling at each other.
There were several other vehicles that passed the victim’s truck and Hamilton’s car. Judd is asking these drivers to come forward to provide more information.
“We just need your perspective. What did you see? And when did you see it? Where were you and where were they when you saw it?” he said.
Hamilton faces several charges, including second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
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