Attempted Murder Charge For Somerset Man In Road Rage Shooting

SOMERSET, NJ — A Somerset man has been charged with attempted murder after police say he fired two shots at another driver, hitting his car during a road rage incident on May 5, said authorities.

Gerald S. Chapman, 39, of Ulysses Road in Somerset, was charged with first-degree attempted murder, and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, said Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and Franklin Township Public Safety Director Quovella M. Maeweather.

On Friday, May 5, at around 4:50 p.m., a Franklin Township resident was driving north on Easton Avenue when Chapman's vehicle tried to merge in front of the resident’s vehicle near the Interstate 287 ramp, said McDonald.

The victim said there was no room for Chapman to merge. Chapman then became irate and slapped the passenger side mirror on the victim’s vehicle, said McDonald.

The victim got out of the vehicle to check the mirror for damage. While doing so Chapman pulled alongside the victim’s vehicle, pulled out a firearm, and fired two rounds in the direction of the victim hitting the vehicle before fleeing the area, said McDonald.

The victim then went to the Franklin Township Police Department to report the incident.

Chapman was identified as the driver of the vehicle following an investigation by detectives from the Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Franklin Resident Field Office.

On Friday, May 19, Chapman turned himself into the Franklin Township Police Department. Chapman was taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing in this matter.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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