Woman shot five times in Travis County road rage incident, records show

A 25-year-old man is facing aggravated assault charges after being accused of shooting a woman five times during a road rage incident near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport last week, county records show.

Kamiah Mathews told police she was shot while she was driving with Dierra Liggins, her girlfriend, to a tire shop in southeastern Travis County to fix their car's flat tire Wednesday morning, according to an arrest affidavit for Michael Rivera, the person accused in the shooting.

Liggins called police shortly before 8:15 a.m., after the shooting occurred at the intersection of FM 973 and Burleson Road. Rivera also called 911 about the same time and reported that he had shot a person, saying that the driver pulled a gun on him and he shot her, his arrest affidavit says. Rivera was arrested at his residence Thursday morning and charged in connection with the shooting, a bond document shows.

Mathews told police she had been driving slowly on the right side of the road and shoulder along FM 973 when she was passed by a silver sedan that slowed to match her vehicle's speed. She said the driver called her a "dumbass" and told her to get off the road, the affidavit says.

After passing her car, the silver sedan continued ahead, the affidavit says. As Mathews approached the intersection of FM 973 and Burleson Road, Mathews told police, she saw Rivera's vehicle stopped at the red light, in the left lane, waiting to turn. She said she was in the right lane and was planning to drive straight through the intersection.

While at the red light, Mathews saw a flashlight and then heard multiple gunshots, and felt her right arm go limp, the affidavit says. Liggins corroborated Mathews' statement, in a separate interview with police, and said she saw Rivera pull out a black pistol with a light attachment and shoot at their vehicle eight times, the affidavit says. Mathews had a handgun under the seat, but she told police she never pointed or showed Rivera the gun.

She sustained one gunshot wound to the left biceps area, two gunshot wounds to her right forearm, another deep gunshot wound to her left thigh and a graze to her right shin below the knee. The injuries to her left forearm required surgery, the affidavit says. Liggins told police that Mathews continued driving while she called 911.

Police located the gun used in the shooting inside Rivera's car at his residence in Del Valle. They also found cartridge casings throughout the vehicle, consistent with the firearm being fired from Rivera's right hand while being pointed toward the front right passenger side of the vehicle, the affidavit says.

Law enforcement found no damage to Rivera's car, which corroborated both Liggins' and Mathews' statements that they had not shot a firearm, the affidavit says.

Rivera bonded out of the Travis County Jail and will have his first court hearing May 16, according to county records.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Woman shot five times in Travis County road rage incident near airport