DeKalb County Man Sentenced to Life for Fatal Road-Rage Shooting

Michael Charles Jackson, 61, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years without parole for the January 2022 road-rage shooting of 46-year-old Don Wardlaw in DeKalb County.

A jury found Jackson guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jackson represented himself during the trial.

On January 27, 2022, police discovered Wardlaw’s wrecked vehicle in a yard off Rockbridge Road. Wardlaw had sustained two fatal gunshot wounds, causing him to veer off the road. Investigators determined Jackson had been following Wardlaw in a pickup truck, prompting Wardlaw to attempt a U-turn to escape.

Jackson was arrested a week later during a routine traffic stop related to an outstanding warrant. A search of his home revealed a handgun box and magazines matching the weapon used in the shooting, and gunshot residue was found in his vehicle.

District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson expressed sympathy for the victim’s family, stating, “It is unfortunate that the mere act of driving could lead to this murder.”

Jackson’s criminal history includes a 1987 murder conviction in North Carolina and a 2016 conviction for disorderly conduct involving a firearm in Georgia.

The case was prosecuted by Managing Assistant District Attorney Han Chung and Assistant District Attorney Jasmine Joseph, with investigative support from DA’s Investigator John Wilbanks and Gwinnett County Police Detective Randy Blackburn.