Oregon mayor charged with attempted murder in alleged road rage shooting

The mayor of a small town in Oregon has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot at a vehicle carrying children during a road rage incident.

Dowen Jones, the 47-year-old mayor of Rufus, was arrested on Tuesday.

A family of four, including two children, ages 5 and 8, were traveling on Highway 281 near Parkdale on Monday morning and “followed behind an SUV that was driving erratically,” the Hood County Sheriff’s Office said. River in a statement.

The SUV, driven by Jones, stopped and the family slowed down to get a description of the vehicle.

“As the family passed the suspect vehicle, a male subject exited the passenger side and fired multiple rounds from a handgun at the passing family,” the statement said.

Jones reportedly hit the vehicle, but no one was injured. The police identified and arrested him the next day.

Jones, elected mayor of the town of under 300 in 2018, was charged with one count of attempted murder and four counts of attempted assault.