On a summer evening in Everett, Washington, a dispute on the road escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of a 49-year-old Caucasian male, Steven Whitemarsh. On July 6, 2019, what began as an aggressive driving incident ended with Whitemarsh being fatally shot while still in the driver's seat of his vehicle. The man responsible for his death, Simeon Berkley, then 74, was later arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The events leading to the fatal encounter started on the Mukilteo Boulevard. According to Berkley's testimony, Whitemarsh was tailgating his vehicle. The situation intensified, culminating in a rear-end collision on Glenwood Avenue, where Whitemarsh's Lincoln Navigator struck Berkley's Honda Accord. Prosecutors argued that Berkley intentionally slammed on his brakes. Following the collision, Berkley exited his car and approached Whitemarsh's vehicle. While Whitemarsh remained in his seat with his seatbelt fastened, Berkley fired a. 380-caliber pistol into the open window, striking him twice in the head.
An entire family witnessed the shooting. A witness who heard the shots and approached the scene began recording a video. When asked if the other driver was unconscious, Berkley reportedly replied, "He's dead," and claimed Whitemarsh had been harassing him on the road. When questioned about the gun's whereabouts, Berkley was evasive. He later told police, "Let me save you some time... He was chasing me. It was self-defense." Whitemarsh, a manager at a local Safeway and a father of three, died at the scene.
Simeon Berkley pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self-defense because he feared Whitemarsh was reaching for a weapon. However, prosecutors argued that Whitemarsh did not pose an imminent threat after the crash. A jury ultimately rejected Berkley's self-defense claim and found him guilty of second-degree murder. In April 2021, a judge sentenced Berkley to 22 years in prison, calling the killing "an execution, plain and simple." The case drew further attention due to Berkley's past; he had been acquitted in a similar road rage shooting in California 30 years prior where he also claimed self-defense.
