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2ND-DEGREE MURDER

Driver gets 25 years in Mesa road rage death

Arizona is the top state when it comes to confrontational drivers: Survey

A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to killing another man by running him down with his truck in a case of road rage, Maricopa County officials said Tuesday.

Frank Martin Lawrence III, who killed James William Ackerman Jr. and assaulted Carolyn Bui, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault.

On the evening of Jan. 11, 2020, Bui was in Mesa driving home with Ackerman, her boyfriend.

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2ND-DEGREE MURDER

Driver gets 25 years in Mesa road rage death

Arizona is the top state when it comes to confrontational drivers: Survey

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A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to killing another man by running him down with his truck in a case of road rage, Maricopa County officials said Tuesday.

Frank Martin Lawrence III, who killed James William Ackerman Jr. and assaulted Carolyn Bui, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault.

On the evening of Jan. 11, 2020, Bui was in Mesa driving home with Ackerman, her boyfriend.

As Bui was preparing to make a left turn, Lawrence veered into her lane causing Bui to honk, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Lawrence followed Bui to her apartment complex and drove donuts in the parking lot before getting out of his vehicle and punching Bui in the face, MCSO state in a release.

Ackerman attempted to record the defendant’s license plate, and Lawrence chased the victim down with his truck, striking and killing him, authorities said.

“This defendant’s out-of-control behavior cost the life of an innocent victim,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said.

“Road rage is a criminal offense that happens all too often in our state.”

According to a survey in 2023 by Forbes Advisor, Arizona is the top state when it comes to confrontational drivers.

In 2022, there were 622 suspected road rage incidents in the state, according to the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

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