Border protection officer arrested after road rage incident in Golden Gate Estates

Investigators in Collier County are looking into a road rage incident, and the suspect they arrested is a law enforcement officer.

Wednesday, Collier County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a road rage incident at a 7-Eleven with a Mobil gas station in Golden Gate Estates. The suspect had already fled the scene when they arrived.

The same day, the sheriff’s office arrested suspect William Timothy, 39, a law enforcement officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, after his superior officers identified him from the convenience stores’ surveillance recordings.

According to the arrest report, CCSO responded to the gas station off Golden Gate Boulevard E, where a 62-year-old man said he had been the victim of a road rage incident.

The victim told the sheriff’s office he was driving west on Golden Gate Blvd. When he realized a blue truck was tailgating him. The victim was followed by the truck into the parking lot of the gas station, where he said the male suspect got out of his truck and confronted the victim cursing at the victim, who was still in his own truck..

The suspect went into the convenience store, and, a short time later, the victim did too. The victim said he was waiting in line behind the suspect at the register and told him that not everyone is in a hurry on the road. This upset the suspect, who turned and cursed more at the victim and also threatened to beat him.

The suspect left the convenience store, and the victim saw the suspect key the passenger side door of his vehicle before hurriedly getting into his blue truck and driving off. The victim said he ran out of the store yelling the suspect had keyed his car. As the suspect drove off, the victim said the suspect smiled at him and was knocked down after being hit by the rear of the suspect’s truck.

Prior to Timothy being identified and arrested, witnesses claimed the suspect was a border patrol agent or some form of law enforcement. He was seen with a gun in his pocket and a badge on his shirt.

Video surveillance confirmed the suspect acted hostile toward the victim in a threatening manner. Outdoor surveillance video shows the suspect get in his truck and lean out toward the victim’s truck and make an upward movement with his arm. Video surveillance does not capture them moment when the victim claims he was knocked over by the suspect’s vehicle.

The victim was seen to have bruising on his knee and left big toe, while complaining that he was sore. And the estimate to fix his truck is over $1,000.

Timothy was taken to Collier County jail and faces charges for Criminal Mischief (over $1,000) and Assault. He posted $6,000 bond and got out of jail Thursday. He is schedule to appear in court at the beginning of December.