The defendant faces first-degree murder, reckless driving and battery charges.
COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho — A Kootenai County judge set $2 million bail for a DoorDash driver accused of fatally shooting Bradley Allen Rex during a traffic dispute near Stateline Speedway on May 9.
The bail decision placed the case in the highest tier of local criminal proceedings only days after the shooting. Edsel Robert Johnson, 32, is charged with first-degree murder, reckless driving and battery. Prosecutors say Johnson shot Rex during a clash on North Beck Road outside a lantern festival near Post Falls. The case has drawn attention because of where it happened, the number of witnesses nearby and Johnson’s alleged statement that he had “stuff to do.”
First District Judge James Combo said at Johnson’s first appearance that the allegations showed a serious danger to public safety. Speaking to Johnson by video from jail, Combo said Rex was shot in the chest and that the killing could have been avoided. The judge also ordered Johnson to have no contact with Rex’s family. Prosecutors asked for a high bond after describing the scene as a road rage dispute involving a delivery driver, a crowded event and a man who was trying to stop danger to others. Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Stan Mortensen said the facts alleged in the case did not support a legal justification for the shooting.
The court record says the shooting happened shortly after 7 p.m. at or near Stateline Speedway, where the Night Lights Sky Lantern Festival had brought thousands of people to the area. Sheriff’s deputies and Post Falls police officers were already near the event because of the crowd. Police said Johnson was driving a silver van and trying to make his way through heavy vehicle and foot traffic. Witnesses described the van going the wrong way on Beck Road while the driver honked and pushed through the area. Rex did not move away from the van, according to accounts summarized in court documents.
Rex’s wife told investigators that her husband acted because the van was moving through a place filled with bystanders. She said he tried to protect people from the vehicle, according to court documents. Police said Rex approached Johnson’s van, and Johnson later told detectives Rex grabbed the door. Investigators say Johnson admitted he fired the fatal shot. The filings do not say Rex had a weapon. They also do not show that officers saw an ongoing threat once Johnson was detained. The sheriff’s office said deputies found Rex dead at the scene and stopped Johnson as he was leaving the area in a vehicle.
Johnson called dispatch after the shooting, investigators said. Court documents say he told authorities that the man he shot had been hitting his van and that he did not want to shoot him but had “stuff to do.” He also told detectives he was a DoorDash driver and was delivering baby formula when the encounter happened. Investigators wrote that Johnson said he was impatient and did not mean to kill Rex. Those statements are likely to become a major part of the case because prosecutors may use them to show Johnson’s state of mind, while defense lawyers may seek to challenge how they were gathered or what they mean.
The charges changed as prosecutors reviewed the evidence. Johnson initially faced murder and reckless driving allegations. Court records later showed prosecutors added a battery count, accusing him of willfully and unlawfully using force or violence against Rex. First-degree murder is the central charge and carries the most severe potential penalties. Mortensen said prosecutors had not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty. That decision would require a separate review of the facts, the law and any aggravating factors prosecutors believe they can prove.
The reckless driving count points to the conduct before the shooting. Witnesses said the van moved against traffic and forced others to react in a crowded area. The battery count gives prosecutors another way to address physical contact or force in the moments before Rex was shot. Together, the three counts create a case that is not limited to the gunshot alone. Prosecutors are expected to frame the shooting as the end of a chain that began with dangerous driving through pedestrians. The defense is expected to focus on the confrontation at the van, including Johnson’s claim that Rex was hitting or grabbing the vehicle.
Public safety planning around the festival also became part of the record. The sheriff’s office said deputies and Post Falls officers were present because of the large gathering, allowing them to respond quickly once the shooting was reported. North Beck Road was closed while investigators worked the scene. Officials asked people to avoid the area and said the investigation was active. Sheriff’s officials also said there was no ongoing threat to the public after the suspect was detained. The quick detention did not end the investigation, which continued with witness interviews, document review and court filings.
The case is still far from trial. At this stage, prosecutors must show enough evidence for the charges to continue. Johnson’s defense can test witness statements, police reports, charging language and any recorded statements made to dispatchers or detectives. A judge may later decide whether certain evidence can be used in court. If Johnson is arraigned on the charges, he would be asked to enter pleas, and the case could move toward motions, settlement talks or trial scheduling. No public record reviewed for this article showed that a jury trial had begun.
Rex’s death left a criminal case with both public and private consequences. His wife witnessed the encounter, according to police records, and the sheriff’s office said the shooting happened near a large crowd. The event site, the traffic jam and the ordinary delivery errand have become part of the legal record because each helps explain how the men crossed paths. The next steps are in Kootenai County court, where Johnson remains held under the bail order unless that status changes.
Author note: Last updated June 4, 2026.