Hastings road rage victim is son of St. Johns County deputy

Marveno Scriven charged with attempted homicide, possession of weapon

HASTINGS, Fla. – The son of a St. Johns County Sheriff's Office senior deputy shot five times Thursday night in a road rage incident in Hastings remains in critical condition at Orange Park Medical Center, deputies said. 

Charles Ashton Bradley Jr., 30, was shot about 5 p.m. outside a Kangaroo gas station in St. Johns County following an alleged road rage incident, the Sheriff's Office said. Bradley's father, Charles Bradley Sr., is a chief with the Sheriff's Office.

Marveno Dwayne Scriven, 29, was arrested late Thursday night on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to St. Johns County jail records.

At a hearing Friday morning, County Judge Charles Tinlin set bond for Scriven at $265,000. The judge said if Bradley Jr. dies, Scriven's charges would be upgraded to murder and the bond would be revoked.

Bradley Jr. was airlifted to the hospital Thursday night and has undergone one surgery, with possibly more to come. Friends told News4Jax that his family is by his side.

"Quite simply, Chief Bradley and his family are in the role that they need to be in, and that's as family," St. Johns County Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan said. "Chief Bradley right now is simply a dad who has concerns about his son. The investigators are the ones dealing with the case."

The shooting, which was caught on surveillance video, occurred between two vehicles in the parking lot of the Kangaroo on East Church Street. Deputies said the two men pulled into the parking lot while arguing with each other. The argument escalated when the suspect, Scriven, pulled out a handgun and shot Bradley Jr. multiple times.

Investigators said some of the shots were fired after Bradley Jr. went to the ground. 

"It started out as an argument. There were two individuals who were arguing. There were no weapons displayed," Mulligan said. "Then the individual did, in fact, display a handgun, began to fire and then continued to pursue the victim as he tried to retreat."

Deputies said Scriven left the scene, did not call 911 and left his car behind a trailer in Palatka. Later that night, family members called police, and he met with investigators. He was booked into jail about 11:30 p.m.

But people who witnessed the shooting did call 911.

Caller: "There’s a shooting in Hastings at the Kangaroo. Man just shot three of four times, I know."
Dispatcher: "Did you see who did it?"
Caller: "Yeah, he’s still out."
Dispatcher: "Listen to me. Listen to me. I need to know what kind of vehicle it is."
Caller: "I don’t know, a dark car. That’s all I can tell you."

Other people also called in when they saw a man take off from the scene, leaving Bradley Jr. in the parking lot.

Dispatcher: "Where is the person shot?"
Caller: "He’s laying down in front of his vehicle on the side, on the outside of his vehicle. He’s laying down on the ground."

According to the arrest report, Scriven told deputies that after he passed Bradley Jr. on County Road 13, Bradley Jr. began following him and driving aggressively. He said he got a handgun out of his glove compartment and pulled into the gas station, where he thought it would be safe.

Scriven said Bradley Jr. pulled in after him, striking Scriven's car with his pickup truck. Both men got out of their vehicles, Scriven with a gun in his hand.

He said Bradley Jr. charged at him, so he fired in self-defense, but police said no weapon was found with Bradley Jr. or in his vehicle.

According to the arrest report, deputies found that Marveno pursued Bradley Jr. after he fired the initial shot and then fired again as Bradley Jr. attempted to retreat.

Surveillance video shows Bradley Jr. running over to Scriven, and then Scriven shooting him. Bradley Jr. goes down, and tries to roll away, as Scriven keeps firing.

"They had no prior conflicts. They didn't know each other at all. And now, because of this, that sudden anger and, like I said before, this escalates," said Gil Smith, News4Jax crime and safety analyst. 

Smith said most road rage situations usually involve men.

"There is just this heavy testosterone flow with men that has to make them think they are king of the road, no one can disrespect them or cut them off or speed past them or get close to them," Smith said.

Anyone who finds themselves in dispute with another driver should always try to de-escalate the situation, Smith said.

"Admit that you made a mistake. People tend to let it go and just go on about their business. If not, just slow down, slow down even though you should be going at a certain speed, slow down and let that person move on. And in most cases that will take care of the problem," Smith said.

Scriven's in-laws, who were in court for his first-appearance hearing, said he fired in self-defense.

Scriven's felony conviction was for burglary in March 2005 in South Carolina.

Other recent road rage incidents in northeast Florida that escalated to violence:

  • Feb 15: Gary Siler arrested after he pointed a gun at a woman who has her two children in a car in Putnam County.
  • Jan 25: Tyler Ennis stabbed a U.S. Marine in a road-rage confrontation in Clay County.
  • Sept 9 2015: Christopher Tate fired four shots at another car in Clay County. No one was hit.
  • In 2012: Isreal Williams shot and killed Thomas Schadowsky as both drove away from a convenience store where they got into an argument. Williams was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.