Two men killed in California road rage dispute turned deadly with kids present: Police

Two men died as a result of a road rage dispute that escalated in front of children over the weekend in Highland, California.

Jonathan McConnell,38, and Aaron Harris, 37, were involved in a hit-and-run collision on Saturday night, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives learned that motorcycle rider McConnell was splitting lanes on the 210 Freeway when he hit a sedan Harris was driving.

The father's two and five-year-olds were in the vehicle with him at the time.

Authorities allege that Harris trailed McConnell off the freeway to a parking lot in front of Joy Lounge in Highland, a city about 68 miles from Los Angeles. McConnell met with several people he knew at the location.

There, the two men, who were both armed, began to argue.

"Harris stopped his vehicle and shouted threats at McConnell," the sheriff's office said. "When McConnell approached the vehicle, Harris fired a gun at McConnell, and McConnell returned fire."

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Both men were taken to the hospital; a bystander was injured

The Highland Sheriff's Office responded to a report of gunfire, finding Harris and McConnell wounded at the scene.

Both men were taken to the hospital, and despite efforts to save them, they succumbed to their injuries.

"We all get angry on the roads sometimes, especially these days there's so much traffic out there and so many things going on. But this is a great example of how things can go so wrong so quickly," sheriff's office spokesperson Mara Rodriguez told KABC.

A bystander was struck in the hand. The children were not shot during the confrontation.

Per the outlet, a recent report ranked California as the state with the most confrontational drivers, where many drivers said they experienced a road rage incident that involved threats and insults.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.