MONROE COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) – A road rage incident early Saturday morning has left a Miami couple facing charges, with a woman charged with attempted murder and her husband charged with battery.
The incident, which could have been easily avoided, according to Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, serves as a reminder of the importance of letting law enforcement handle disputes.
“This was an unfortunate crash that should have been resolved peacefully,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay said. “Instead, we have people in jail facing serious legal charges. It’s a valuable reminder to always let law enforcement address disputes.”
According to officials, the incident unfolded near Mile Marker 26 at approximately 12:25 a.m., involving a Ford pickup truck and a Chevrolet pickup truck. Both vehicles were involved in a collision, prompting them to pull over.
The driver of the Ford pickup, 59-year-old Mario Barbado Pichardo, of Miami, took the situation to a dangerous level by initiating a physical altercation with the driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck, a 38-year-old male from Marathon. As tensions escalated, Pichardo’s wife, 54-year-old Damarys Pichardo, of Miami, retrieved a .380-caliber handgun and placed a call to 911.
During the call, Sheriff’s Office 911 Communications Specialists overheard Damarys Pichardo making a threat to kill the male victim. The victim himself reported hearing the distinct sound of the handgun’s trigger being pulled multiple times, but to his relief, the weapon failed to discharge. The 911 specialists also captured Damarys Pichardo’s confusion as she inquired why the gun was not loaded or firing.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the handgun had a loaded magazine; however, a round had not been chambered at the time of the incident. Fortunately, there were no life-threatening injuries sustained during the altercation.
Both Mario Pichardo and Damarys Pichardo were taken into custody and now face charges related to their roles in the incident.
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