Gang Member Convicted, Sentenced for Road Rage Shooting in Catoosa County

A Catoosa County jury found Joshua Aaron Basham, a known gang member and convicted felon, guilty of shooting a man during a road rage incident that occurred on October 10, 2021. The verdict, delivered on March 27, 2025, followed a four-day trial where the jury rejected Basham’s claim of self-defense. He was convicted of Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

The trial was marked by a disruption on the second day when Basham appeared to be under the influence of fentanyl and other drugs, leading the Honorable Judge Melissa Hise to hold him in contempt of court. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller prosecuted the case, with assistance from victim advocate Shelby Bradshaw, administrative assistant Jennifer Jackson, and Chief Investigator Christy Smith.

Evidence presented at trial detailed how officers responded to Battlefield Parkway on the day of the shooting following reports of a man shot in the abdomen. Law enforcement was informed that the suspect vehicle was a green Nissan truck driven by a white male with tattoos. The victim was found lying injured in front of a Taco Bell with a single gunshot wound to his lower left abdomen.

According to trial testimony, the victim and two friends were riding motorcycles when they were nearly struck by Basham’s truck, whose driver they believed was distracted by a phone. The motorcyclists and Basham exchanged single-finger salutes and brief verbal exchanges. When the motorcyclists turned into a Walmart in Fort Oglethorpe to get change for gas, Basham, instead of continuing westbound, swerved into the turn lane behind them. Despite Basham’s self-defense claim, evidence indicated that the victim never physically attacked him, and the firearm was already out of the truck and pointed at the victim shortly after he dismounted his motorcycle to inquire why Basham had followed them. Furthermore, as a convicted felon, Basham was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm.

Following the shooting, the green Nissan truck sped away. Multiple witnesses at trial corroborated the truck’s route, which ended at Basham’s father’s residence. Basham subsequently fled the scene and was apprehended by law enforcement several days later.

During dramatic testimony, the victim and his two friends each identified Basham as the shooter by a distinctive “7” tattoo on his neck.

Judge Melissa Hise sentenced Basham to 20 years, with 15 years to be served in the Department of Corrections. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller lauded the jury’s verdict and the judge’s sentence, stating, “We don’t tolerate violent gang members shooting folks on our busy main streets. You bring that kind of lawlessness to Catoosa County, and we’ve got a prison cell waiting with your name on it.”

The victim, who has since recovered from his injuries, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I want to thank DA Fuller and his whole team for standing by me through this. And I especially want to thank the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department for their quick work in finding the shooter. Because of all of them, I can finally breathe a little easier knowing he’s off the streets for a long time.”