In a confrontation that began on the Watterson Expressway and ended in a bank parking lot, 57-year-old Danny Wilson was fatally shot in what authorities described as a road rage incident on June 21, 2014, in Louisville, Kentucky. The man charged in his death was Donald Hayes, a well-known local hot dog vendor.
The incident escalated when both men exited onto Poplar Level Road. Hayes reported that Wilson used a baseball bat to break his car window.
In response, Hayes fired a single shot into Wilson's vehicle, striking him in the head. Police later found a baseball bat between Wilson's legs. Following the shooting, Hayes was arrested and charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense.
Initially, Hayes was released on a $10,000 bond, a decision that upset Wilson's family. Prosecutors successfully argued for a higher bond, and it was raised to $50,000, leading to Hayes being sent back to jail. The case proceeded to a grand jury, which indicted Hayes on the murder charge.
During the trial, testimony was heard from Wilson's wife, Janet, who described her husband as someone who would defend himself if he felt threatened. Forensic experts also testified, with one noting that Hayes's gun was designed for self-defense and another confirming that glass from Hayes's car window was embedded in Wilson's baseball bat. Hayes took the stand and maintained that he acted in fear after his window was shattered by the bat. He stated that he did not know he had hit Wilson when he drove away from the scene.
