An argument that began on the interstate in Baton Rouge escalated into a fatal shooting at a car wash on Perkins Road. Joseph Tatney Jr., a 40-year-old male, was shot multiple times and died at the scene on June 7, 2021. The incident, which started as a road rage altercation, ended in a physical confrontation and ultimately, gunfire.
The conflict began with tailgating on Interstate 10, leading to a verbal exchange at a red light.
The other driver, 19-year-old Jarmal Jackson, later told police that Tatney had brandished a handgun during this exchange. Following the initial confrontation, Tatney followed Jackson to Benny's Car Wash. There, witnesses reported seeing Tatney approach Jackson, who was vacuuming his vehicle, and punch him twice in the face. In response, Jackson retrieved a handgun from his car.
Baton Rouge Police officers were already at the gas station adjacent to the car wash when the shooting occurred and were able to apprehend Jackson immediately. Arrest records state that Jackson stood over Tatney and shot him multiple times. Jackson was initially booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.
In January 2022, a grand jury indicted Jackson on charges of second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons. However, in a subsequent turn of events, a different grand jury cleared him of the murder and manslaughter charges in early August 2023. Instead, they issued a superseding indictment for two misdemeanors: obstruction of justice and failure to notify authorities of a death under suspicious circumstances. Jackson pleaded guilty to these lesser charges and was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation. His conviction could be retroactively dismissed if he meets all the conditions of his probation, which include completing 100 hours of community service and avoiding any further legal trouble.
