Man accused of shooting at driver and his daughter on Chatham County highway
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- Chatham deputies arrested John Steven Ryals, charging him with assault by pointing a gun.
- Authorities tied Ryals to the vehicle via plate, social media, DMV and GPS.
- Victim reported Ryals fired at him and his daughter during a no-pass incident.
A Moore County man was accused Wednesday of shooting at a driver and his daughter on N.C. 42 near Buckhorn Road in Chatham County.
John Steven Ryals, 31, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the Nov. 22 incident, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Ryals is charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault by pointing a gun and one count of going armed to the terror of people, court records show. He lives in Vass, 35 miles south of Pittsboro.
The driver who was allegedly shot at reported that Ryals had passed him in a no-passing zone and shot at him and his daughter, the Sheriff’s Office said. Ryals was not at the scene when deputies spoke with the driver.
Deputies used the description of Ryals’ vehicle and license plate number to locate a white Chevrolet Avalanche registered to his name, the Sheriff’s Office said. They further linked Ryals to the vehicle using social media, Division of Motor Vehicles records and phone data.
Deputies confirmed using Ryals’ cellular GPS data — obtained by a search warrant — to show Ryals was in the area at the time of the shooting, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Ryals is being held in the Lee County Jail on no bail while he awaits a District Court judge to set bail, court records show.
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