Chattanooga Radio: WGOW Host Jailed After Road Rage Shooting

Jeff Styles

News/Talk WGOW 102.3 FM morning personality Jeff Styles was shot in a road rage incident on Friday afternoon. Upon a police investigation, he was later arrested on Saturday for attacking another driver with a hatchet.

According to The Chattanoogan, police said Styles told them he went into "red mode" after he and the other vehicle stopped at the same red light.   He also said he blacked out after getting a tomahawk out of his vehicle and starting toward the other car.

Police said they were dispatched at 4:27 p.m. to Highway 153 and Grubb Road on a person shot. Police found Styles suffering from a gunshot wound to his right arm. He said the person who shot him left going south on Highway 153.

Styles said he and Mr. Bullington had gotten into a road rage incident on Highway 27.  He said he grabbed his tomahawk from a bag and exited his vehicle walking back to the driver's side of the Bullington vehicle. He said once he reached the door he blacked out, only coming out of it after he was shot.

Bullington, 35, said while traveling on Highway 27 another person was driving aggressively. He said he slowed down to create some distance from the vehicle, but they came back together at the red light.

He said while stopped behind the Styles vehicle he saw the driver waving a tomahawk in the air. He said the man then exited his vehicle and approached his driver side door with the tomahawk in his hand.  He said once at the door the man swung the tomahawk breaking through his window.

He said he was in fear for his life so he grabbed his pistol. He fired one round at the man with the tomahawk. He said he then left to find a safe place to call police.

Police said a witness confirmed the Bullington account.

Styles was arrested at his home Saturday morning and was taken to the Hamilton County Jail where his bond was set at $8,500. He has bonded out, according to the jail.

Styles is scheduled to be in court July 3.

Kevin West of WGOW said on Saturday, "We were made aware of Jeff's arrest with the rest of the media in a news release from the Chattanooga Police Department. Their investigation continues. We'll have no further comment until the investigation is complete."

On Sunday, Styles attorney released the following statement.  In the statement attorney Lee Davis alleges that it was Nickolas Bullington, 35, who threatened Styles as the two were driving on Highway 153, not the other way around. Police say Styles struck Bullington's window with a tomahawk-style weapon; Styles alleges that he did so out of self defense because Bullington threatened him with a firearm.