Road rage fight ends with truck driver shooting Marine dead as his family watched from inside their Tesla, police say

Inset: Dayton Alexander Morgan (Smith County (Tex.) District Clerk). Background: The intersection where Dayton Alexander Morgan allegedly murdered Trevor Julian during a road rage incident (Google Maps).

A 23-year-old man in Texas is accused of killing a Marine, allegedly shooting the 29-year-old victim during a road rage incident that began when the shooter stopped too close to the victim at a red light.

Dayton Alexander Morgan is facing one count of first-degree murder in the slaying of Trevor Julian.

Officers with the Tyler Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting that took place at about 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the intersection of Grande Boulevard and Paluxy Drive. The area is about 110 miles southeast of Dallas. Morgan was driving a truck and Julian was riding in the passenger seat of a white Tesla one car ahead of Morgan, according to a report from local ABC affiliate KLTV.

Julian's wife was driving the Tesla, and their three children were in the back seat, Nacogdoches-based CBS affiliate KYTX reported.

Officers on the scene spoke to Morgan, who was identified as the only person to have fired a weapon during the altercation.

Morgan allegedly told investigators that both vehicles were approaching the intersection when the light turned red. He reportedly claimed the Tesla "came to an abrupt stop," leaving his truck "closer to the Tesla than he would like," the Longview News-Journal reported.

Morgan said Julian got out of the Tesla and began approaching his truck. He opened his driver's side door while remaining in the seat.

Julian allegedly shouted for Morgan to move his truck back and Morgan reportedly responded, "What the (expletive) is your problem?"

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The two men continued to yell at each other, according to police, with Julian telling Morgan to back his truck up, and Morgan telling Julian to move on.

Morgan claimed Julian then came toward the driver's side door of his car, so he grabbed the handgun from his center console, racked the slide, and pointed it toward the driver's side door of the truck. He said the door was "half-way open" when he fired a round through the window, striking Julian.

When interviewed by police, Morgan reportedly said that Julian never made verbal threats and did not appear to have a gun.

Detectives determined that Morgan's claim of self-defense was not supported by the evidence.

Jail records show that Morgan is being held at the Smith County jail.