COEUR d’ALENE — A Door Dash driver accused of fatally shooting a pedestrian during a road rage incident near Stateline Speedway over the weekend is being held on $2 million bail. 

Edsel R. Johnson is charged with first-degree murder in the May 9 shooting of Bradley Rex, an offense that carries maximum possible penalties of life in prison or the death penalty. He’s also charged with the misdemeanor offenses of reckless driving and battery. 

“You shot (Rex) dead in the chest,” First District Judge James Combo said Monday, addressing Johnson, who appeared in court via a video feed from jail. “That is tragic and something that could’ve been avoided.” 

Combo said Johnson poses a “significant risk” to the public’s safety, making $2 million bail appropriate in the case. He also ordered that Johnson have no contact with Rex’s family. 

Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Stan Mortensen said Johnson was attempting to deliver food Saturday night when he encountered vehicle and pedestrian traffic along North Beck Road. Thousands had gathered in the area for the Lantern Festival at the Speedway. 

Johnson grew impatient, prosecutors allege, and began driving through the crowd of pedestrians. Most people moved out of the way, Mortensen said, but Rex refused. 

“He basically just chose to make a stand,” Mortensen told the court. 

As Johnson drove past Rex, prosecutors allege that Rex swung a chair at Johnson’s van, hitting a rear window. Mortensen said Johnson got out of his van and “body slammed” Rex to the ground, then returned to his vehicle. 

Witnesses said Rex got up and grabbed the driver’s side door, though Johnson managed to pull the door shut. Prosecutors said several witnesses recorded video of the altercation. 

“Instead of driving off, the defendant pulled a gun out and shot Mr. Rex in the upper chest, killing Mr. Rex,” Mortensen said. 

Prosecutors said Johnson drove away from the scene but soon returned. He also called 911 to report that he had shot someone, Mortensen said. 

When police detained Johnson, he allegedly admitted to shooting Rex, describing himself as “scared and paranoid” and “only trying to do his job.” 

“Ultimately, though, if that man didn’t hit my car, he’d be alive right now,” Johnson allegedly said to police. “The reality is that this dude is dead over nothing. This guy is just dead because I couldn’t be more patient.” 

Ben Onosko, a public defender representing Johnson, argued that the killing was justified because Rex tried to open Johnson’s car door. Under Idaho law, homicide is justifiable when committed against someone who is attempting to enter an occupied vehicle by force. 

“Mr. Rex tried to break into Mr. Johnson’s vehicle by force,” Onosko said. 

Mortensen argued that Rex had witnessed Johnson commit the misdemeanor offenses of reckless driving and battery and thus was within his rights to attempt to place Johnson under citizen’s arrest, using “all reasonable force.” 

“This was not an act of self-defense,” Mortensen said. “Idaho code is not going to justify this.” 

Mortensen said Johnson has a 2014 conviction for reckless driving out of Florida. He also said Johnson was accused of running over a bicyclist who flipped him off in 2012, though defense counsel refuted this allegation. 

Mortensen said Kootenai County prosecutors have not yet decided whether they will seek the death penalty for Johnson. 

“We’ll take everything into consideration before making that determination,” he said.