Joliet man shot nine times in road-rage incident on I-80, prosecutor says

A Joliet man was shot nine times after a confrontation with another driver on Interstate 80 in a road-rage incident, a prosecutor said in court Wednesday.

Will County Judge Art Smigielski ruled that Phillip Rogers, 45, of Chicago, should remain locked up in jail after hearing new details of a shooting Monday that led to the death of Lenier Clayton, 30, of Joliet.

Neither men knew each other, but they both were involved in a confrontation after a crash on I-80 in New Lenox. Rogers has been charged with the first-degree murder of Clayton and unlawful possession of a handgun by a felon.

Assistant State’s Attorney Tricia McKenna said a witness saw Rogers’ Jeep crash into a Honda vehicle, causing both vehicles to crash into a center median wall. She said the witness saw the drivers exit their vehicles and heard “four to five gunshots.”

“[Clayton] was shot approximately nine times, mostly to the back and once to the chin area,” McKenna said.

McKenna said Rogers is a convicted felon who was not supposed to be in possession of a firearm.

In his ruling, Smigielski said the incident occurred on an “expressway during rush hour,” and Clayton had been shot about nine times.

“This could have been anybody,” Smigielski said.

Rogers had fled the scene of the shooting but was later found by police about a mile from where it occurred, McKenna said.

Rogers appeared in court wearing a red jail uniform, which is usually given to inmates who are in the medical unit at the jail. He was quiet throughout the court hearing and walked slowly to the podium in front of Smigielski.

Clayton’s family attended Wednesday’s detention hearing.

Mia Clayton, the sister of Lenier Clayton, who worked as a forklift loader, said her brother was a “good guy,” and numerous social media posts showed he was disliked by no one.

She said Lenier Clayton was “friendly” and “helpful” to others.

“He was one of the best,” Mia Clayton said.

During Wednesday’s court hearing, McKenna said Rogers told police that he was on his way to work on I-80 when he got into a “back-and-forth” encounter with a Honda Civic. Rogers claimed that the vehicle crashed into his vehicle, McKenna said.

Rogers claimed the other driver had punched him and said he was “going to kill him,” McKenna said.

Rogers said he is a “weak individual” who had nowhere to go for safety, so he told the other driver to “stay back and pointed a gun at him,” McKenna said.

Rogers claimed that the driver attacked him, and he “open fired to protect his life” because the driver said he was “going to kill him and said he had a gun,” McKenna said.

McKenna said Rogers is 6-foot-1, while Clayton is 5-foot-5. She said police did not find any weapon on or near Clayton.

Mia Clayton said Rogers’ claim of self-defense is “garbage” and that her brother would not hurt anyone.

“My brother lost his life for nothing,” she said. “Over a traffic accident.”