Transient Charged with Two Felonies in Road Rage Shooting

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (Sept. 13, 2024) – Authorities have charged a transient man in connection with a road rage incident that escalated into a shooting Thursday afternoon near the intersection of Highway 69 and Schwartz Road.

Paul Clifford Buchholz, a transient residing in Excelsior Springs, has been charged with two felonies: Unlawful Use of a Weapon, a Class B Felony, and Armed Criminal Action, a Class U Felony. His total bond has been set at $50,000, according to court documents.

The incident began around 4:30 p.m. in the Walmart parking lot when Buchholz’s van sideswiped another vehicle, causing minor damage to the driver’s side mirrors on each vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle drove away, believing the damage was insignificant, but Buchholz pursued the driver in his dark blue Chevrolet van with Ohio plates.

The two vehicles continued northbound on Highway 69,  when, near the Excelsior Springs Animal Clinic, Buchholz allegedly fired multiple shots from a 9mm pistol into the victim’s vehicle. While the car was damaged, the driver was not injured.

Excelsior Springs Police recognized Buchholz’s van from previous interactions, using License Plate Reader (LPR) cameras to track the vehicle. The van was eventually located at the Corner Kitchen near Watkins Mill State Park, where Buchholz surrendered to police. Initially, he denied involvement in the incident, but later confessed, and the gun was recovered.

Buchholz is currently in custody, and further details on his court appearance are expected to be released soon.