Man arrested for Alexandria road-rage shooting that injured woman

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A Maryland man has been arrested for shooting a woman in what investigators are calling a road-rage incident between drivers in two vehicles in Alexandria, according to police.

Authorities said the shooting happened on the Eisenhower Connector near the I-495 off-ramp at around 7:56 a.m. Wednesday. According to Alexandria police, 58-year-old Ernest Stickell, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, fired at two people who were in another vehicle.

A 33-year-old Bladensburg, Maryland woman suffered gunshot wounds to the upper body, but was conscious at the scene, officials said. She was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

Another man who was inside the victim's car was not injured during the incident.

Moments after the shooting, a camera at a nearby business recorded what may have been the suspect's white van entering the intersection of Eisenhower Avenue and Clermont Avenue. As the vehicle speeds off, a black SUV with the wounded driver turns onto Eisenhower Avenue before coming to a stop for a few seconds before crossing the road and stopping on the other side of the street.

A witness said the female driver was able to get out of the car and appeared to be holding her neck. Emergency radio broadcasts indicated the woman was hit in the neck and back.

Stickell turned himself in to Maryland State Police in Frederick. He has been charged with malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

At Stickell's home in Mechanicsville, Stickell's mother told FOX 5 that the incident happened while Stickell was driving to work for an auto glass company. After the shooting, she said her son drove home unbeknownst to her and parked his white van in front of their house while getting into another vehicle he owns.

She had no idea what led him to Frederick to turn himself in and said he has no connections there. Stickell's mother said he has two young adult sons who are devastated about his arrest.

Criminal records show Stickell has been arrested for assault at least twice in the past.