Police: Metro-East man charged with attempted murder after road rage incident

A Greater East man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with a rage-fueled shooting on Interstate 57 in Champaign County, Illinois State Police said.

LeJoshua Cortez Smith, 40, was also charged with aggravated use of a firearm and several traffic violations, according to an Illinois State Police news release. Police listed Smith's hometown as East St. Louis, while Champaign County Jail records listed his address as Cahokia Heights.

A Champaign County judge on Monday ordered Smith to be held in custody pending trial, court records show. Smith's attorney could not be reached for comment Monday.

The shooting occurred Thursday in the area of ​​I-57 northbound near mile marker 223.

After a minor accident occurred between Smith's vehicle and another vehicle, a “situation of road rage” arose during which shots were fired at one of the victims' vehicles, police said.

The victim was not injured in the shooting.

Police “spotted Smith's vehicle within minutes and attempted to pull him over, but Smith fled,” the press release said. “Officers engaged him in a pursuit that continued north on I-57 through Ford County and into Iroquois County.”

State police troopers deployed stop sticks and Smith's vehicle was stopped on I-57 near mile marker 285, where he was arrested about 62 miles from the scene of the shooting.