Welcome to Arrest Stories. A forty-six-year-old actor faces serious charges after allegedly shooting a woman in the face during a shocking road rage incident that sparked a campus lockdown in Galloway Township. Here's what may have happened.
According to official reports, Ernest Heinz was arrested Thursday following a violent confrontation that began as a simple traffic merge. The incident unfolded when a woman attempted to merge into Heinz's lane, but authorities say he sped up to block her, then raced ahead and cut her off.
The situation escalated dramatically at the intersection of Jimmie Leeds Road and Redwood Avenue, near the Stockton University entrance sign off Vera King Ferris Drive. While both vehicles sat stopped at a red light, Heinz allegedly called the victim profanities and made a chilling threat. Officials report there was some sort of conversation or altercation, which led to the initial shooting, and then, he sped off.
The victim immediately called nine-one-one, reporting she had been shot in the face by another driver. She described her attacker as a man with blonde hair and a ponytail driving a white Honda SUV. The gunshot wound entered her upper nose and left side, exiting the right side. Her right cheek swelled so severely that her right eye was nearly closed.
After the shooting, Heinz allegedly drove through Stockton's campus as a cut-through toward Port Republic, prompting university officials to issue a shelter-in-place directive. Students scrambled for safety, with one witness saying they pushed chairs against doors that wouldn't lock.
Investigators discovered the white Honda SUV was registered to Heinz's mother, while the weapon was reportedly one of seven guns registered to his father. Interestingly, Heinz had appeared as a jury foreman in the two-thousand-eleven film J. Edgar.
Authorities praised their response, stating the prompt and professional actions of officers resulted in quick apprehension of Heinz, adding they wish the victim a swift recovery and are supporting the community following this senseless incident.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.