A lengthy investigation into the Dec. 10 road rage shooting death of popular Jacksonville musician Joe Starkey has been ruled justifiable.
Starkey was a songwriter, producer, sound engineer and a member of the band Puddle of Mudd. His family said he wrote and produced for big acts such as Saliva, Daughtry and Avril Lavigne.
Both men had their significant others with them as witnesses. Only the shooter had a firearm and he warned Starkey, who was the only one out of his car, that he had a gun and not to come any closer. But the 63-year-old reached into his rolled-down window before being shot in the chest and was determined to be the primary aggressor, according to the investigation.
The 22-year-old, who was working DoorDash rounds with his girlfriend, is not being identified by the Times-Union because he’s not being charged.
“After reviewing all evidence, conferring with the State Attorney’s Office, and speaking with all witnesses and involved parties, the determination was made there was not enough evidence to support an arrest at this time,” according to the 44-page report.
The Sheriff’s Office has previously not released much information about the case. What was provided at the time was it happened about 9 p.m. on St Johns Bluff Road at Bahia Drive near Atlantic Boulevard. Starkey was found dead in the roadway with at least one gunshot wound, and the suspect remained at the scene.
During a news conference the following week, attorney John Phillips said the family is calling for answers and an arrest of the man who’s stating he was standing his ground under the law.
He said while Starkey and his wife were heading home from dinner at a restaurant, they noticed an unusual-looking Jeep that swerved and darted into their path repeatedly. At first, the Starkeys thought he may be drunk or texting and driving and just chose to stay away. However, at one point, the driver aggressively passed their car and then hit his breaks.
“Given he did not want to lead the person to his home, Joe pulled over hoping the Jeep would just drive by,” according to the statement. “It did not, so Joe sought to speak to him. Starkey was particularly concerned because his wife had recently had spinal surgery and a wreck or further aggravation could be catastrophic. He just wanted to see what in the world was going on. … At no time did Mr. Starkey use, threaten, intend or have any ability to use imminent use of unlawful force.”
In the latest report, the victim’s wife, the suspect’s girlfriend and the suspect all were interviewed and gave their accounts of what happened. To try to maintain fairness, the Times-Union will provide all three with minor edits for newspaper style.
What did Joe Starkey’s wife say about what happened?
Tina Starkey, 69, said her husband arrived home at approximately 6:30 p.m. and they agreed to go to Miller’s Ale House on Regency Square Boulevard for dinner and advised they are “regulars” there. Asked if her husband carries a concealed firearm or any weapons. She advised he normally has a small pocketknife and does have firearms but did not have one on his person that night.
They arrived at Miller’s Ale House at approximately 7 p.m. and had dinner and drinks before leaving. She said she believes her husband had approximately two beers and two shots while they were there (the medical examiner’s report stated the victim’s blood-alcohol level was 0.112 ― .08 or higher is illegal to drive in Florida).
On their way home on Atlantic Boulevard, she stated near the Denny’s they noticed the suspect vehicle being driven “erratic.,” swerving into their lane causing her husband to repeatedly brake and swerve to avoid making contact. They eventually both made the right onto St. Johns Bluff Road and approached the light at Bahia and Theresa drives with the suspect’s vehicle still “tailgating” them.
At this point, she said her husband told her, “I’m gonna say something.” She said she told him not to get out of the car because “people are crazy.” But he again said, “I’m gonna say something.” She reiterated multiple times that she told him not to get out. He still did and walked toward the suspect vehicle.
His wife then said she heard a “pop” and began to panic. She was unable to see the shooting because she was facing the opposite direction. She then climbed over the center console and to go through the driver’s side door that was already open. She saw him lying on the street next to the suspect vehicle and a man in camo pants holding a gun while talking on the phone. She also observed a female sitting in the passenger seat, “not saying anything.”
Her husband was bleeding profusely, so she attempted to cover the wound near his chest but said she knew he was already gone at this point. She stated there was no dispute with anyone at the restaurant, and they did not notice the suspect vehicle until the area across from Denny’s on Atlantic.
What did the DoorDash driver’s girlfriend say about the road rage shooting?
The other driver’s 22-year-old girlfriend, whom the Times-Union also is not identifying since she is not being accused of anything, said the two were completing DoorDash orders for extra money and had been doing so since approximately 5 p.m. Their last order was to pick up food from Miami Grill on Regency Square Boulevard and take it to the vicinity of the incident location.
She said she was on her phone throughout the drive and only recalled seeing very little. She said they went from Miami Grill, down Monument Road, eventually reaching Atlantic Boulevard. She said they were in the middle lane and realized they needed to get into the far-right lane to make the turn onto St. Johns Bluff Road. She advised her boyfriend activated his blinker and moved over into the right lane.
She then said whoever was in the vehicle behind them “didn’t like that” and began “tailing them with their brights on.” She said agitated her boyfriend, so he stuck his middle finger out the window. They then approached the light and made a right turn onto St. Johns Bluff. She advised she was giving him directions and told him, “At the next light, you need to turn left.” He then activated his blinker to move into the middle lane, and the other driver began tailing them again and flashing brights at them.
Her boyfriend again moved into the left turn lane, prompting the other driver to swerve into the middle lane and ended up in front of them as they stopped at the traffic light on St. Johns Bluff at Bahia. She saw the vehicle’s driver’s door open and a man exit and walk toward their vehicle. The man appeared “irate and had his arms flailing around.,” she told investigators.
When the man reached the end of his vehicle to the beginning of their vehicle, her boyfriend drew his handgun and stated, “Hey, I have a gun, don’t come any closer.” But the man kept walking toward them and approached the driver’s window. She said he then reached into the window and that’s when her boyfriend fired his gun.
Asked if her boyfriend had rolled his window down to speak to the suspect while he was approaching, she said it was all the way down and is an older crank-style window that cannot be rolled up quickly. She noted it is common for her boyfriend to leave the window down as the driver’s door can only be opened from the outside.
She further explained before he drew his weapon, he told the man approaching “I have a gun” and only drew it when he realized the man was not stopping. She said the man reached inside with a closed fist and was scream profanities. As soon as the man’s hands were inside the vehicle, that’s when her boyfriend shot him. She believed the man was trying “to swing” at her boyfriend and explained that it appeared as if he was attempting to punch, grab the gun, or choke her boyfriend. The total time from exiting the vehicle to the shooting was two to three seconds, according to what she recalled.
She said there were no words said before the altercation other than her boyfriend sticking his middle finger out the window. There also was no recording device or dashcams in their vehicle that would have captured the incident.
She said they had not consumed any alcohol or drugs. She also stated it is common for her boyfriend to carry a handgun concealed on his waistband.
What did the DoorDash driver say about the road rage shooting of Joe Starkey?
In the DoorDash driver’s interview with investigators, he said they were out delivering orders to make extra money while he is out of work on disability. He said a driver began road raging on him after the overpass on Atlantic Boulevard before St. Johns Bluff Road.
He advised he was in the middle lane and the other vehicle was in the right lane next to him. The DoorDash driver said he indicated to the other driver that he needed to move over to the right lane and waited to see if he was going to pass or allow him in. But the man didn’t do either, so he moved over which was followed up by the driver flashing his bright lights at them.
He said he “paid no mind to it” though and continued onto St. Johns Bluff and realized they had to make a left on Bahia. He was now in the right lane and needed to move over a few lanes into the left turn lane, when he said he noticed the same vehicle was now in the left lane. The delivery driver said he turned his blinker on, indicating he wanted to get into the left lane, which resulted in the other driver turning on his high beams again.
He said he allowed the man to pass before moving over, which now put the vehicle in front of him, stopped at the light. He then noticed the driver immediately get out and begin to walk toward them. He advised he keeps a firearm on his person, and the man’s aggressiveness caused him to grab it “in a defensive position.” At this point, the firearm was concealed, and he stated to the approaching man that he is armed and to get back into his vehicle.
The man continued to approach and reached through the driver’s window. He stated the man was a threat to himself and his girlfriend and believed he may have had a knife, so he pulled the trigger. He then immediately called the police. He stated he was acting in self-defense to protect himself, his girlfriend and his sister at home and never wished to take a life. He stated the man placed him in this position and it is not a normal occurrence for a person to exit their vehicle as in this case.
He described his car as old (a 1987 Jeep Cherokee) and that it takes a while to accelerate. This made him feel as if he was unable to safely speed away from the man and left him with no choice but to defend himself and his girlfriend. He said he had his gun at chest level, and the man was so close to his face that he did not have to aim.
What are the criminal backgrounds of those involved?
Further review revealed an incident in August 2025, where the DoorDash driver was involved in an altercation with a person at a gas station and used his firearm as a deterrence in self-defense. A review of the Law Enforcement Information Exchange revealed no other reported incidents for him, according to the investigation.
A review of Starkey’s history revealed multiple police contacts and arrests with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. A review of the Law Enforcement Information Exchange showed repeated history of arrests for DUI and driving on a suspended/revoked license, according to the investigation. There is also an extensive history of traffic violations issued by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol.
What was the final result of road rage investigation into Joe Starkey’s death?
“During this investigation, it was revealed that the victim exited his vehicle and approached the suspect, presumptively entering the threshold of the suspect’s vehicle causing the suspect to shoot in what he claimed was self-defense,” the conclusion said. “Extensive canvass of the incident was conducted. A review of the blood evidence inside of the vehicle and of the autopsy revealed the gunshot was in close proximity to the suspect and that the victim had to be within the threshold of the suspect’s vehicle. All evidence was presented to the State Attorney’s Office who made the determination this investigation would be deemed a justifiable homicide and no criminal charges would be filed.”
A follow-up statement from the State Attorney’s Office also concluded:
“The totality of the evidence establishes that [the Door Dash driver’s] use of deadly force was justified under Florida law. He faced a rapidly escalating confrontation, an aggressive approach, and a physical intrusion into his occupied vehicle. His perception of imminent harm was objectively reasonable, supported by both physical and testimonial evidence, and reinforced by statutory presumptions. His actions were also justified by the need to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony. Accordingly, the use of deadly force was lawful, and no criminal charges are warranted.”
What about Joe Starkey’s family?
Phillips, the Starkey family’s attorney, responded that for now their only statement is: “We had a meeting with them. We disagree with their findings and will be filing a wrongful death suit.”
The family continues to post Facebook memories of him, with the latest being his wife on May 7: “Happy Anniversary to my Soulmate, Joe Starkey. You are missed every single moment of the day, and will forever be in my hear.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for the family.
(This story has been updated with a statement from the State Attorney’s Office.)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Case cleared in road rage shooting of Joe Starkey by DoorDash driver
Reporting by Scott Butler, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
