The text was random. “Did the guy that assaulted Jamie get out of jail?” The suggestion mortified Tracy Wagner, Jamie’s mom. She assured them that no, the man who attacked her daughter in a road rage incident was still in prison. But the other person messaged back, “I saw him walking down the road in Sullivan.”

In Bourbon, Missouri, in 2021, Jamie Peters was found alone and unconscious in the middle of a major intersection

Initially, police found little evidence of the suspect’s identity. But according to Fox 2 News, doorbell footage recorded before the road rage incident showed a certain vehicle. Authorities traced the car to Joseph Voisey.

Police arrested the man, who allegedly struck Peters in the face. The blow led to her head hitting the pavement. The suspect left her unconscious with a brain injury in the middle of the street.

In 2023, a judge sentenced Voisey to seven years behind bars

Just two years later, though, the victim’s family found out that he’d been released on parole already.

The victim’s family says they were never informed about or invited to attend the parole hearing.

Reportedly, from prison, Voisey wrote to a judge, “I know what happened was horrible. But it was a horribly unlucky accident. No one would think slapping someone who was attacking them would turn out this way.”

“I’m scared he’s going to come back and finish me off,” Peters fears.

Details of the parole hearing are private, county officials said.

What can road rage victims do when their attackers are locals, too

I looked into this assuming the answer would be similar to domestic violence victims. In areas like the UK, several road rage support organizations exist.

However, in the U.S., the only official group I could find was MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Their 24/7 support number is 1-877-623-3435.

Beyond that, it seems, road rage victims are mostly encouraged to seek private legal and mental health services, like trauma therapy.

We wish everyone involved a healthy and peaceful life moving forward.