TYLER, Texas — After an alleged road rage incident in Tyler was captured on a dash camera this weekend, the victim is looking for help to identify the suspect.
It was a regular Saturday afternoon drive back home from soccer for Crerend family when an orange-red Toyota Tacoma started driving behind them.
Ashley Crerend says it felt like the driver was tailgating her and swerving over into the middle lane. She said she started yelling back at him, "I have my kids in the car."
Seconds later, a red light on Old Jacksonville Highway by Fresh caused Crerend to brake, and the Tacoma slammed right into the back of the car.
Crerend said she was "scared because my kids were in the car." Crerend said she was in shock and didn't come out of it until she heard her 11-year-old son ask her 8-year-old son if he was OK.
Crerend added after the collision, "he just disappeared." The family then called the police, Tyler Police Department said they received five other calls that day about the reckless driver.
Andy Erbaugh, Tyler Police Department spokesperson, said law enforcement never knows why people drive like that, whether it's reckless or intoxication.
Erbaugh said in this case, they "really don't know" because police haven't been able to talk with the driver.
After posting the crash on Facebook, Ashley realized she wasn't the only one that fell victim to the orange Tacoma. She said other people messaged her saying he had struck them before, too.
Unlike the other drivers, Crerend had a rear view and front view camera and the support of other drivers to help take photos of the driver and his car. However, the motorist has yet to be identified by police.
Crerend said another woman reached out to her saying the same car hit her Thursday and that her case was filed with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Crerend said the other woman told her DPS still hasn't been able to identify him and "if they'd found him then, he wouldn't have had a chance to hit me." She added, "he's just out here being aggressive."
While the investigation is still ongoing, Tyler police wants to emphasize the dangers of violent driving.
Erbaugh said police have seen people in road rage "get out and approach you at red lights."
"We're not saying it's going to be the person's fault; it's the suspect who's got the problem, but be cautious when driving," Erbaugh said.
Tyler Police Department does not consider this road rage; however, they do believe it to be a reckless driver that ultimately caused a hit-and-run, which is still a criminal offense.
Crerend and Erbaugh both recommend other drivers invest in rear view cameras to help identify drivers that flee the scene of crashes.
If you have any information, contact the Tyler Police Department at (903) 531-1000.