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The incident began on Tuesday, June 13 just after 7 p.m., when state troopers responded to the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) northbound in Greenwich by Exit 28 on a report of an active assault, according to state police.
The call for police assistance had come from 43-year-old Shelton resident Marvin Harris, who told troopers that he was being actively assaulted by a group of motorcyclists and that a firearm had been displayed during the fight.
Once arriving at the scene, troopers found Harris and 30-year-old Tavon Douglas of New Haven on the right shoulder of the road and immediately detained them, also finding a firearm registered to Douglas.
A preliminary investigation then determined that before the altercation, Harris, Douglas, 35-year-old John Whitley of Wilmington, Delaware, and an unknown third man had been involved in a road rage incident that was prompted by Harris brake-checking the motorcyclists and not letting them pass him.
This incident then escalated into violence when Douglas pulled out a firearm and shot a round into the back of Harris's vehicle, according to police.
After this shot was fired, all involved men then pulled into the right shoulder of the parkway and engaged in a violent physical dispute. Just before troopers arrived at the scene, Whitley and an unknown motorcyclist had left the scene.
Authorities then kept searching for the fleeing motorcyclists and eventually found Whitley driving north on Route 15 in the area of Exit 38, where he was stopped.
When troopers questioned Whitley about the incident, he told troopers that he had shoved and hit Harris, mounted Douglas's motorcycle, and driven away from the scene. Whitley was then arrested, police said.
Both Harris and Douglas were taken to local hospitals for minor injuries, and Douglas was arrested upon his release.
The three men all face the following charges:
Douglas:
- First-degree assault;
- Second-degree assault with a firearm;
- Second-degree threatening;
- First-degree reckless endangerment;
- Second-degree breach of peace;
- Third-degree discharge of a firearm;
- Negligent pedestrian;
- Reckless driving.
Harris:
- Reckless driving;
- Second-degree breach of peace.
Whitley:
- Third-degree assault;
- Second-degree breach of peace;
- Failure to insure private motor vehicle;
- Theft of plates/inserts;
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle
Douglas's bond was set at $150,000, Harris's bond was set at $1,000, and Whitley's bond was set at $2,500, police said.
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