Earlier this month, Illinois college professor Charles S. Johnston opened fire at semi trucks at a state rest stop and Pilot truck stop on Interstate 80 in Iowa.
During his shooting spree, one semi trailer was shot at the Iowa rest stop in Lime City and multiple semi trucks and trailers were shot at the Pilot Travel Center in Atalissa.
A week later, court documents were released stating the shooter’s alleged motive into the attack. The documents stated that Johnston was upset about an accident involving a “semi truck and a family in a vehicle” and wanted to harm truck drivers in retaliation.
Now, as the investigation continues, additional information has come out about the situation which makes the case even more bizarre. Turns out, the accident that triggered the Illinois-resident’s shooting spree, never actually happened.
According to a new report in the Des Moines Register:
“Johnston believed he witnessed a semi-truck driver run a family’s vehicle off of the highway that day, killing them, said Ryan Herman, a special agent with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Herman, however, said investigators have found no evidence to support that claim; Herman described the shooting as road rage.”
Police found prescription pills, drug paraphernalia, and a preworkout energy drink in Johnston’s black Volkswagen.
He’s currently being held on a $1 million cash-only bond.
