Miami couple arrested following Keys road rage incident

MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A woman is facing an attempted murder charge and her husband faces a charge of battery following a road rage incident early Saturday morning in Monroe County, authorities said.

According to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Adam Linhardt, a couple from Miami was in a Ford pickup truck that was involved in a crash with a Chevrolet pickup truck near Mile Marker 26 at approximately 12:25 a.m.

Authorities said the driver of the Ford, 59-year-old Mario Barbado Pichardo, instigated a physical fight with the driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck — a 38-year-old male from Marathon. Pichardo’s wife, who deputies identified as 54-year-old Damarys Pichardo, retrieved a .380-caliber handgun and called 911.

According to Linhardt, MCSO’s 911 Communications Specialists heard Damarys Pichardo threaten to kill the male victim.

Deputies said the victim reported hearing the handgun click/trigger pulled multiple times, but the weapon never fired. Sheriff’s Office 911 Communications Specialists also heard Damarys Pichardo ask why the gun was not loaded/firing.

Linhardt said after further investigation, the handgun had a loaded magazine, however, a round was not chambered at the time of the incident. There were no life-threatening injuries reported.

Mario Pichardo and Damarys Pichardo were both taken to jail.

Mario Pichardo’s arrest photo shows him with multiple cuts and bruises around his eye, but it is unclear if they were sustained during Saturday’s incident.

“This was an unfortunate crash that should have been resolved peacefully,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay in a news release. “Instead, we have people in jail facing serious legal charges. It’s a valuable reminder to always let law enforcement address disputes.”