A Tucson firefighter has resigned from his job of two decades after he was allegedly involved in a road rage incident in which a gunshot was fired at a vehicle.
Raul Carrasco, 58, has been arrested on multiple felony charges, including aggravated assault and drive-by shooting stemming from the Feb. 28 incident, according to Pima County Justice Court records.
Arrest documents show that sometime during an altercation with another driver, Carrasco pulled out a handgun and fired at least one shot toward the other vehicle. Inside that vehicle was the driver, his 3-year-old stepson and a friend.
The incident began near West Prince and North Oracle roads when the victim said Carrasco, in a white Tesla Model Y, cut him off without using a turn signal. Soon after, the Tesla began “brake checking†the victim’s vehicle, escalating the situation, the other driver told police. When the two approached a red light, Carrasco allegedly began staring at the victim and his passenger, and at one point pulled out a black handgun and pointed it toward the open window of the other driver’s car. The driver told police he could see down the barrel of the gun.
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When the light turned green, the driver said he heard a gunshot as he pulled away. He was able to get behind the Tesla and record the vehicle’s license plate number. He and his passenger contacted police. Both men gave similar accounts of the incident and description of the suspected gunman, records show.
Police said the Tesla came back registered to Carrasco, who also matched the descriptions given by the driver and passenger. On March 5, police contacted Carrasco, who allegedly admitted to being involved in the road rage incident.
He said the driver of the other vehicle was the aggressor and that he only raised his weapon because he thought the involved driver might be armed.
Police said Carrasco admitted that he was prepared to use the weapon if the driver had presented a weapon of his own. No other weapon was presented, but as Carrasco began to pull his weapon towards him, the gun “accidentally†discharged, striking the victim’s vehicle, he told police. Records indicate that Carrasco left the weapon at his brother’s house and threw the cartridge case away after finding it in his vehicle. Tucson Fire Department Chief Chuck Ryan, in a written statement Tuesday, said the department is “aware†of the situation and takes the matter “very seriously.â€Carrasco's attorney said the department has started the process of firing Carrasco, although he insists that his client resigned shortly after the incident. Police declined to provide additional details, citing an ongoing investigation.
