Driver merges into traffic then gets shot at in southwest Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — Jordan Sadler, 25, was arrested Thursday and charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle after a road rage incident earlier this month.

The victim, Kendale Kinlow, spoke Friday for the first time since the bullet struck the trunk of his car two weeks ago on South Tryon Street near General Drive.

The shooting left Kinlow’s vehicle damaged and him grateful to be alive, particularly since his four children were not with him during the dangerous encounter.

Sadler was due before a judge on Friday morning following his arrest. Police say his arrest comes two weeks after he allegedly shot into Kinlow’s Land Rover.

Kinlow recounted that he was driving along South Tryon Street in southwest Charlotte when he began to merge due to upcoming construction.

After he merged, the car in front of him started honking. He then heard a pop, initially believing it was a rock hitting his vehicle.

“I even gave a gesture of ‘thanks,’ waving my hand,” Kinlow said. “And moments later, they blew the horn, and seconds later, they basically shot up my vehicle.”

Kinlow, a father of four, later pulled over and discovered a bullet hole that had traveled into his Land Rover.

He said he’s lucky to be alive.

“I could have lost my life,” Kinlow said. “Literally, I was thinking like, ‘Hey, I left my house knowing I was going to come back and realized I had the chance of not coming back home.’”

Kinlow said he is thankful his children were not in the car with him, noting that his son often sits in the seat struck by the bullet.

“I opened my trunk. The way it exploded inside the trunk,” he said. “That’s what really traumatized my mindset.”

Sadler faces charges of shooting into an occupied vehicle. Kinlow is appealing to all drivers to calm down and put an end to road rage incidents.

Sadler faced a judge Friday for the charge of shooting into an occupied vehicle. The suspect is being held in jail without bail because of the violent nature.

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Kinlow urges everyone to stay calm behind the wheel.

“It’s not worth killing someone over someone merging in front of you,” he said. “You know, at the end of the day, we all have families. We all are working hard, and at the end of the day, we just need to be mindful of that.”

Detectives used Department of Transportation and Flock cameras to catch the suspect.

Sadler admitted to shooting into the car, according to court documents.

He has a concealed handgun permit and has faced previous charges of reckless driving.