A Wilkes-Barre man opened fire on another driver and shot him in the ankle in a road-rage attack during rush hour Thursday evening, according to state police.
Kenneth Kuras, 56, of 39 McCarragher St., is being held without bail at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. Police said he opened fire because he had been unable to pass a truck driver on Interstate 81.
According to the complaint, the victim, James Jeremy Leiphart, 26, of Warrior Run, and his brother, Jason Jon Leiphart, had left work at Doll Construction sometime between 5 and 5:30 p.m. and were travelling north on I-81 to Exit 143 in Hazle Twp.
James Leiphart was driving a black 2008 Peterbilt truck tractor in the left lane, while Jason Leiphart was separately driving his personal vehicle behind him in the right lane, police said.
In the area of Exit 138, James Leiphart noticed a maroon 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee behind him, according to the complaint. The driver, identified as Kuras, began tailgating, swerving and flashing his headlights, police said.
James Leiphart told police that Kuras tried passing him on the left shoulder several times before James Leiphart pulled into the right lane to let Kuras pass, according to the complaint.
Police said as Kuras passed Jason Leiphart’s vehicle, Kuras pointed a gun directly at him.
Then, as the Jeep passed the truck in the area of mile marker 140, James Leiphart saw a flash of light from the Jeep’s passenger-side window, then felt pain in his right ankle, police said. James Leiphart pulled over at Exit 143 and told his brother he’d been shot, according to police.
Medics later removed James Leiphart’s right boot and sock, and a 9 mm bullet fell out of the sock, police said. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital — Hazleton, where he was treated and released.
Police said Kuras also pulled over and called 911 to report the shooting. Troopers found him near mile marker 148 with a 9 mm Ruger pistol on his front passenger seat in plain view, according to the complaint.
During questioning, Kuras said he had been traveling 68 mph and admitted swerving and flashing his headlights when he came upon the truck, the complaint said.
He told troopers he tried passing the truck several times but kept “getting boxed in” by the Leiphart brothers, whom he quickly realized were traveling together, according to the complaint.
Kuras also claimed James Leiphart tried to run him off the road several times when he tried passing. He then admitted pulling the pistol and firing a shot into the lower portion of the driver’s door, according to troopers.
“I fired low,” the complaint quotes Kuras as saying. “I wasn’t trying to kill him or anything.”
Troopers charged Kuras with aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, disregarding traffic lanes, following too closely, reckless driving and careless driving.
Magisterial District Judge David A. Barilla arraigned Kuras shortly after midnight Friday and denied him bail, citing the danger to the community.
Kuras was being held at the county jail with a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 27.
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jhalpin@citizensvoice.com;
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