William 'Bill' Kelley McCutchan, a 53-year-old White/Caucasian male, was killed in what police have described as a road rage incident in Sierra Vista, Arizona, on June 22, 2024. The events leading to his death began with a two-vehicle collision around 4:05 p.m. at North 7th Street and Raymond Drive. McCutchan, a third-generation Arizona native and a veteran of both the Marine Corps and the Army, had reportedly just left the local American Legion Post 52 before the encounter.
According to
witness statements and police reports, the incident escalated quickly. The other driver, identified as 37-year-old Zacarius Pierre of Sierra Vista, was reportedly driving a Kia Soul southbound on 7th Street when he made a U-turn after passing McCutchan's Chevrolet Cruze. Pierre then allegedly sped up, drove aggressively to get around McCutchan's vehicle, and stopped in the middle of the road, which resulted in a rear-end collision. Following the crash, Pierre is said to have exited his car and stood in front of McCutchan's Cruze to prevent him from leaving.
As McCutchan attempted to back up and drive away, Pierre allegedly fired several shots into the Chevrolet Cruze, striking and killing him. McCutchan was found deceased in the driver's seat of his car when Sierra Vista Police arrived at the scene. It was reported that Pierre's juvenile daughter was in his vehicle at the time of the incident. The two men reportedly had no prior contact and did not know each other.
Zacarius Pierre was taken into custody by officers upon their arrival and was subsequently booked into the Cochise County Jail on one count of first-degree murder. McCutchan, who had served in Iraq from 2004 to 2005, was a retired contractor from Fort Huachuca and an active member of the VFW and the American Legion. He was remembered by friends as someone who, despite being outspoken, greeted everyone who walked through the door of the Legion hall where he sometimes bartended.
