A simmering dispute that began on the roadway in Lapeer, Michigan, tragically escalated to a fatal encounter at a gas station, leaving a local man dead from gunshot wounds. The victim, Arthur Lee Kohn, a 33-year-old male, was shot and killed on the morning of December 30, 2019, following a confrontation that unfolded in the parking lot of a Clark gas station on M-24.
The incident, which started as a verbal altercation between two drivers, quickly spiraled into a violent and deadly road rage episode.
The initial conflict occurred when Jeffrey Lee Smith, the shooter, attempted to exit the gas station and inadvertently blocked the path of a truck driven by Arthur Lee Kohn. An exchange of words followed before both men initially drove away. However, the situation did not de-escalate. Smith, who had a. 38 Special revolver in his vehicle, circled back to the gas station, later claiming he intended to warn employees about Kohn. Kohn also returned to the gas station, and the confrontation reignited.
Surveillance footage captured the final, tragic moments of the encounter. After parking next to Smith's car, Kohn, who was found to have an elevated blood alcohol level and cocaine in his system during an autopsy, approached Smith's vehicle. As Kohn reached into Smith's car, Smith fired his weapon, striking Kohn in the arm. Despite being shot, Kohn, who was now holding a crowbar, swung it at Smith. In response, Smith fired a second, fatal shot that struck Kohn in the chest. After the shooting, Smith went inside the gas station and asked the clerk to call the police.
Initially, Smith claimed self-defense and was released from custody. However, after a review of the evidence, including the surveillance video, prosecutors brought charges against him nearly a month later. Jeffrey Lee Smith was charged with open murder, felonious assault, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, and felony firearm. Following a trial, a Lapeer County jury deliberated and found Smith guilty of first-degree murder and felonious use of a firearm.
