Acevedo said the initiative, revealed Dec. 8, is in partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Harris County Sheriff's Office and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Rios was shot to death in November during a gun battle in north Houston.
"Anyone who thinks they can go out there and engage in road rage and commit aggravated assault and thinks they're going to get away with it would be wrong," Acevedo said.
Texas DPS has been directed by Gov. Greg Abbott's office to support violent crime initiatives such as this road rage prevention effort. DPS's role will include having marked and unmarked units on Houston roads to locate aggressive drivers and respond to road rage incidents.
According to the agency, road rage incidents are often underreported when authorities respond to crashes.
"Just the fact that you're using a gun, putting people's lives at risk allows the district attorney's office, under law, to subject a vehicle to forfeiture as a criminal instrument," Ogg said. "I'm pledging our office will do this where the evidence supports it and where the officers have gathered enough information from you the public, which is often misreported as a minor traffic crime, but is often something far more deadly."
Ogg also pleaded for the public to report reckless driving, anyone using guns on the roads, and freeway and road stunts and takeovers.
According to a fact sheet from the Texas Department of Insurance, approximately 80% of polled drivers express serious aggression, anger or road rage at least once a year.
AAA says road rage is preventable and there are ways you can avoid getting into an incident or try to deescalate the situation.
- Don't respond
- Avoid eye contact
- Don't make gestures
- Maintain space around your vehicle
- Contact 911 if needed
This article was originally published by Community Impact Newspaper media partner ABC13.
