An east side man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with a traffic-related shooting on Interstate 57 in Champaign County, Illinois State Police said.
LeJoshua Cortez Smith, 40, was also charged with aggravated battery of a firearm and multiple traffic violations, according to a news release from the Illinois State Police. Police listed Smith’s hometown as East St. Louis, while Champaign County jail records listed his address as Cahokia Heights.
A Champaign County judge ordered Smith held in custody Monday ahead of his trial, court records show. An attorney for Smith could not be reached for comment Monday.
The shooting happened Thursday in the area of northbound I-57, near mile marker 223.
After a minor collision occurred between Smith’s vehicle and another vehicle, a “road rage” ensued during which shots were fired into a victim’s vehicle, police said.
The victim was not injured in the shooting.
Police “spotted Smith’s vehicle within minutes and attempted to detain him, but Smith fled,” the release said. “Officers pursued him and continued north on I-57 through Ford County and into Iroquois County.”
State police troopers deployed stop sticks and stopped Smith’s vehicle on I-57 at mile marker 285, where he was arrested about 60 miles from where the shooting occurred.
