The man accused of shooting former NFL and USC star Joe McKnight to death in Louisiana in a road rage incident was arrested in 2006 on charges he punched a man multiple times under similar circumstances.
That’s according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, which notes Ronald Gasser drew a battery charge in 2006 after the following incident:
During this incident, the victim/reporting person, identified only as a 51-year-old white male from Marrero, called 911 in Jefferson Parish to report that a male subject was driving a red pick-up truck unsafely on Holiday Drive. The victim observed a phone number on the truck to call if the vehicle was being operated unsafely. When the victim called the phone number, an individual, later identified as Ronald Gasser told the victim he was the one driving the red pick up truck. A verbal altercation began between the victim and Gasser began at that time. Once the victim reached the service station, he pulled in to begin refueling his vehicle. It was at that time Gasser, who had followed him into the station, confronted him and began to strike him with a closed fist several times. After doing so, the victim reported Gasser drove out of the service station, at which time he called 911.
The incident happened at the same intersection where authorities say Gasser shot McKnight to death. Gasser’s battery charge was eventually dismissed, for reasons unclear even to the Sheriff’s Office. He remains free and has not been charged with a crime for his alleged killing of McKnight, which a witnessed described thusly to NOLA.com:
A witness, who declined to give her name, said she was leaving a store in the area when she saw a man at the intersection yelling at another man, who was trying to apologize. The man who was yelling shot the other man more than once, she said.
She said the shooter shot the man, stood over him and said “I told you don’t you f—- with me.” Then he fired again, she said.