Donald Hayes pleaded not guilty Monday to murdering another driver in what police have called a “road rage incident.”

Hayes, 67, who sells hotdogs downtown, is accused of shooting Danny Wilson, 57, in what Hayes allegedly has called “a pissing match” between the two. A grand jury indicted him Aug. 12.

The incident between the two men started near the Taylorsville Road and the Watterson Expressway on June 21. Both men got onto the highway, weaved in and out of traffic at high speed and exited at Poplar Level Road. Wilson drove into the bank parking lot to get away from the fight, Detective Brian Peters testified at a July hearing.

Hayes told police, Peters previously testified, that he drove next to Wilson’s car when suddenly his window shattered. Police found a baseball bat on the floorboard next to Wilson, which they said could have been used to shatter the window.

Peters testified Hayes ducked to avoid the glass, picked up a .38-caliber revolver and fired a shot. Wilson later died at the hospital.

Hayes called 911 from his home to report the shooting, but “was unable to provide any reasonable explanation whatsoever,” for the shooting, Peters testified.

Hayes is free on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference in October.

If convicted, he could face 20 to 50 years or life in prison.


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