Officers say the gunfire erupted at Belt Line and Finley during the Wednesday evening commute.
IRVING, Texas — Police arrested a 62-year-old man after a road-rage confrontation turned deadly just before 6 p.m. Wednesday at North Belt Line Road and Finley Road, where a 33-year-old motorist was found shot inside his car and later died at a hospital.
Authorities identified the suspect as Kenneth Nixon and said he is charged with murder, along with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The victim was identified as 33-year-old Yoduardy Sanchaez. Investigators said two passengers riding with Sanchaez were not injured. Detectives described the gunfire as stemming from road rage and said there is no ongoing threat to the public. The case has moved quickly from scene work to an arrest, but officials have not released details about what sparked the encounter or exactly how the suspect was linked to the shooting.
Officers were dispatched a few minutes before 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, after multiple 911 callers reported shots at the intersection. Patrol units arrived to find a slow-rolling vehicle that had come to a stop in the travel lanes. Inside, they located Sanchaez with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died of his injuries. Traffic stacked up for blocks as police taped off the intersection and rerouted evening commuters. Witnesses described a brief exchange between two vehicles, followed by three rapid shots. “Three shots all of a sudden,” one driver said, adding that the victim’s car drifted before stopping at the light. Another witness recalled seeing green turn and one vehicle not moving while others cleared the intersection.
By late evening, detectives had identified Nixon as a suspect. Police said he lives less than 10 minutes from the intersection. He was arrested and booked on a murder charge, and officials said two additional counts of aggravated assault reflect the presence of the uninjured passengers in the victim’s car. Investigators have not released the make or model of the vehicles, the caliber of the weapon, or how many total rounds were fired. They also have not detailed what kind of roadway behavior preceded the gunfire. Officials emphasized that, based on the current evidence, the shooting appears to be an isolated confrontation between motorists.
Records show the investigation is being led by Irving detectives with assistance from patrol and crime-scene units. The department did not immediately release body-camera footage or dashcam video and did not say whether traffic cameras or nearby businesses captured the exchange. Police also did not specify whether the firearm has been recovered or where the arrest occurred relative to Nixon’s home. The agency publicly asked for additional dashcam clips from drivers who were near the intersection around the time of the shooting. As of Thursday afternoon, no further details on ballistics or forensic testing had been released.
The intersection where the shooting occurred is a heavily traveled corridor lined with small businesses and access points to residential streets. Evening backups are common as Belt Line carries cross-town traffic. The department has investigated prior violent incidents at busy junctions, but officials did not immediately provide comparative numbers. Road-rage cases have drawn heightened attention in North Texas over the past year after several high-profile shootings in the region. Police said Wednesday’s case is notable for how quickly it unfolded in the middle of rush hour and for the number of drivers who witnessed the aftermath as the victim’s vehicle coasted and stopped.
Nixon was booked into jail on the murder count and the two aggravated-assault counts. Prosecutors will review the case for formal charges and potential bond conditions. Detectives are preparing case filings and will submit reports to the district attorney. No court dates were immediately available Thursday. Police said more updates could come after investigators complete interviews with witnesses and collect any available video from traffic cameras or nearby businesses. The agency reiterated that anyone with information can contact the detective assigned to the case.
Drivers who were routed away from North Belt Line and Finley late Wednesday reported closures and delays for more than two hours as investigators mapped the scene and towed vehicles. A driver who passed through after the scene reopened said the skid marks and debris made the intersection feel “unusually quiet” the next morning. The police department said its traffic unit assisted with diversions while homicide detectives worked the case, and that the intersection reopened after evidence technicians finished documenting the lane markings and vehicle positions.
As of Thursday afternoon, police had not released a motive or a detailed sequence of events leading up to the shots. The department said the next update will come after evidence reviews and interviews are completed.
Author note: Last updated February 6, 2026.