You would think everyone would already know that if you decide to escalate a parking lot argument into a road rage incident that involves chasing down and firing a gun at a local garbage truck driver, you’re in for a bad time, but apparently, that isn’t the case in Florida. Dade City resident Quinson Croson now faces two attempted murder charges, as well as one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, after an argument that allegedly started in a Wawa parking lot escalated out of control, WFLA News Channel 8 reports.
For those of you who haven’t been keeping up with regional gas station chain expansions, no, the “Wawa” part of that sentence is not a typo. You may not be able to find a Wawa in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee or Georgia, but Florida is chock-full of them. Can’t have New Jersey’s snowbirds going too long without their beloved soft pretzels, after all.Â
Anyway, according to the cops, Croson got into an argument with a tow garbage driver in the Wawa parking lot at about 5:00 A.M. on Friday, June 27. Apparently, the two men were “acquaintances” and knew each other prior to the shooting spree. Croson is — well, most likely “was” at this point — a manager at LA Billiards, a pool hall and bar in Zephyrhills, and according to the police report, the tow truck driver told him he needed to go home because he was drunk. After that, local authorities say “the encounter quickly escalated.”
The only solution is guns, obviously
The victim and his coworker reportedly tried to leave the Wawa parking lot in their garbage truck, but Croson decided the best course of action was to get into his GMC Yukon and chase them down. At some point during the chase, Croson reportedly pulled out a handgun and began firing at the garbage truck. Thankfully, no one died as a result of his allegedly drunken rage, especially after he ran his SUV into the garbage truck hard enough to knock open the passenger-side door, throwing the passenger to the ground.
The worker who was thrown from the truck reportedly did not sustain any life-threatening injuries, but still. The last thing you expect to have to deal with when you get up before dawn to collect people’s trash is to end up on the ground after being rammed by an angry, drunk man with a gun. The driver, whose name has not been released by authorities, however, was hit in the arm and managed to drive to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. He was also able to identify Croson as the man who shot him.Â
Following their interview with the garbage truck driver, authorities were able to obtain surveillance footage that reportedly backed up “key elements” of both victims’ testimonies. That was apparently enough evidence to arrest Croson, who was still in custody as of Monday morning. Considering he has a previous felony, if Croson is found guilty, don’t expect him to get out any time soon. In fact, in Florida, a first-degree attempted murder conviction can carry a lifetime prison sentence without the possibility of parole.
