A shocking road rage incident in Georgia is going viral after chilling video captured the moment a 72-year-old driver allegedly barreled into a group of cyclists — leaving one rider with a fractured spine before speeding off like nothing happened.
Authorities say Jerry Wayne Ross, 72, is behind the wheel of the SUV seen in the disturbing footage from April 23 in Cherokee County. The clip, recorded by one of the cyclists, shows what should have been a routine evening ride quickly turn into chaos.
The North Georgia Cycling Association was midway through its regular 32-mile Thursday ride when things took a dangerous turn on a quiet stretch of Sugar Pike Road in Canton. According to riders, Ross had been trailing the group for nearly two miles — leaning on his horn nonstop in what they describe as an aggressive and escalating situation.
“It was just excessive. He wouldn’t stop honking,” said group leader Richard Collins.
Moments later, the situation allegedly exploded. Video shows the SUV pulling up alongside the cyclists before suddenly surging forward. That’s when, according to witnesses, Ross struck Collins with the passenger-side mirror.
“I looked over and suddenly the vehicle was right on my leg,” Collins recalled.
What followed was a domino effect of destruction. Riders tangled together, crashing hard onto the pavement as the SUV pushed through the group. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly fled the scene — leaving injured cyclists behind on the road.
Collins initially suffered road rash to his shoulder, elbow, and knee and was treated at the scene. But the injuries were worse than they appeared. A later visit to a specialist revealed he had suffered a fracture in his lower spine.
Despite the severity of the crash, authorities say Ross didn’t get far.
Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office tracked him down at a nearby home after spotting damage on his Honda Pilot consistent with striking a bicycle. Investigators say Ross admitted he encountered the cyclists — but denied hitting them, instead blaming the group for riding in the roadway.
That explanation didn’t hold up.
Ross was arrested and hit with multiple serious charges, including two counts of aggravated assault, aggressive driving, hit-and-run, and failing to maintain proper distance. Jail records show he’s currently being held in Cherokee County Jail on bonds totaling $24,540.
Adding fuel to the outrage, Ross appeared to flash a grin in his booking photo — a detail that has only intensified backlash online as the video continues to spread.
For the cycling community, the incident is a terrifying reminder of how quickly a peaceful ride can turn dangerous — and how one moment of alleged road rage can leave lasting consequences.
This guy needs to be fought a lesson.
I am sure that these cyclists had every right to be where they were but if he was following them and honking for two miles, the safe and prudent thing to do would have been to transition to single file and let him pass. It is always better to avoid a road rage situation. They may have been right but they were never going to win against a SUV.