Attorney Davis Says Other Driver In Styles Case Pulled Gun While Driving Wildly; Denies Radio Host "Blacked Out"

  • Sunday, June 17, 2018

Attorney Lee Davis said the other driver in a Friday road rage incident in Hixson pulled a gun on radio personality Jeff Styles while driving wildly. 

He denied that the talk show host blacked out. 

Jeff Styles, who was shot in the forearm, was charged with aggravated assault and vandalism. The other driver, Nickolas Bullington, was not charged.

Police said Bullington said he fired a shot after Styles got out of his vehicle, came over to his driver's side with a hatchet, and broke out his window.

Attorney Davis said, "Jeff Styles first encountered Nickolas Bullington on Highway 111 shortly after 4 p.m. on Friday, June 15. This was several miles from the site where Bullington shot Styles. As Jeff Styles approached a slow moving tractor trailer, Styles started to pass the truck in the left hand lane. At that time, Bullington drove up behind Styles at an excessive speed. Concerned that Bullington would hit his vehicle, Styles raised his hand, communicating to Bullington to "back off”. Styles returned to the right hand lane of travel as quickly as possible. Instead of passing Styles, Bullington flipped him a bird, followed Styles over to the right hand lane, and drove dangerously close to Styles' car.

"Bullington then moved into the left hand lane, sped up to get beside Styles, and— pointing his hand at Styles—made a gun-firing motion with his hand. Bullington then proceeded to move into the right hand lane and attempted to run Styles’ vehicle off the road. After that attempt, Bullington slowed down, brandished a handgun, and proceeded to slow down until Styles was back on the road. Having shown Styles his weapon, Bullington drove behind Styles. 

"With Bullington now behind him, Styles sped up in an attempt to get away from Bullington. Bullington followed Styles onto Hwy 27 southbound—dangerously close on Styles’ bumper. Styles could see Bullington though his rear view mirror, now pointing at the weapon which was apparently in his lap.

"Finally able to get distance between himself and Bullington, Styles took the Hwy 153-Hixson exit.

"Bullington followed Styles off the exit and caught up to Styles at a red light on Hwy 153. Bullington again pointed down to the weapon in his lap.

"Now, convinced that Bullington was going to pull up beside him and shoot him, Styles grabbed his military-grade tomahawk and jumped out of his vehicle. Simultaneously, Bullington pointed his handgun at Styles, and Styles swung once at Bullington’s driver-side window; Bullington fired his gun, hitting Styles in the right arm. Wounded, Styles got back into his car and drove to the first possible pull-off. 

"Bleeding profusely, Styles pulled off the road and called 911.

"Bullington—having shot Styles—fled the scene at a high rate of speed."

Attorney Davis said he requests that anyone witnessing this road rage incident on Friday, June 15,  between the hours of 4:15-4:45 p.m., please call Davis & Hoss 423-266-0605 or the Chattanooga Police Department.

He said, "While being interviewed by police at the hospital, Styles never said that he 'blacked out; before, during, or after this incident," said Attorney Davis.  "Styles attributes this error to an interview conducted while he was being administered morphine for his gun shot wound. The Chattanooga Police Department public information officer who released that statement was mistaken."

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