Man sentenced to 20 years after shooting driver who threw water bottle at him

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A man from Hancock County has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting a driver during a road rage incident in 2023 on I-465.

Prosecutors say Stephen Uppfalt was convicted of attempted murder after firing multiple shots into a car striking a 19-year-old driver in the back, where the bullet is still lodged three years later.

The shooting happened on May 21, 2023, after Uppfalt honked his horn at a group of teens who missed their exit and had a slow start at a green light. Uppfalt and the other driver “exchanged words” and acted aggressively while driving.

At some point, the driver of the other car threw a water bottle at Uppfalt.

Uppfalt returned with gunfire.

The teens, originally driving toward Richmond, safely pulled off the highway and later met with police on the southeast side near Meadow Drive and Southeastern Avenue.

When state police arrived, they found the car riddled with bullet holes and the back window shot out. The driver, 19 at the time, had been struck in the back and was taken to the hospita...