A South County man was accused yesterday of shooting a woman in her 80s during a road rage incident. He later told police he had a pipe bomb.

On Oct. 2, the St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against suspect John Leb, 21, of the 8100 block of Briarhaven Trail. Leb has been charged with first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, the unlawful use of a weapon and a second-degree terrorist threat. He is being held on a $250,000 cash-only, no 10% bond.

Charges are merely an accusation. Leb is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The probable cause statement reads that on Sept. 8, Leb was involved in a road rage incident. This incident also involved the victim, an unnamed woman in her 80s. Leb fired “at least three rounds” at the victim’s car, striking it multiple times; one of those rounds struck the victim’s hand. The victim was later transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital for treatment of her gunshot wound. 

Despite wounding the victim, Leb fled the scene. His vehicle was later identified, and it was determined to be registered to him. Leb was then taken into custody, where he admitted to shooting at the car because he was angry at how the elderly victim was driving. 

At the time of his arrest for this offense, Leb claimed to have a bomb that was “ticking.” Police located what appeared to be a pipe bomb and evacuated the building, though the device was later determined to be inert. 

St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are handling this investigation.