The Plaza Road Rage?

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has charged James Calvin Rothwell, Jr. of Laurinburg, South Carolina with killing Sean Brandon Mason on The Plaza yesterday. 

What led up to the road rage incident is detailed below and beyond murder Rothwell is also charged with shooting into 2 other cars. 

Obviously this could have been a triple homicide.

I'm sorry but these sort of people are crazy. 

And still Charlotte's Mayor Vi Lyles reminds you that "By and large Charlotte is a safe city".

James Calvin Rothwell Photo Courtesy MCSO

CMPD Affidavit

On February 19th, 2026, at 4:26pm, officers in the Hickory Grove division responded to 7401 The Plaza in reference to an Assault with Deadly Weapon call for service. 

Officers located the victim, who had crashed his car into nearby business. The victim was pronounced deceased at 4:32hrs.

Detectives interviewed several witnesses who gave consistent statements. Witnesses advised that gray car and white car were side by side in the parking lot of the Food Lion. The driver of the gray car shot into the white car multiple times. After the shooting, the white car drove through the parking lot, crossed the street, and crashed into nearby business.

The suspect, James Calvin Rothwell Jr., stated he was traveling inbound on The Plaza when he encountered the victim, who was driving recklessly in traffic. He stated the victim was driving white car and tried to pass him several times. 

As they traveled on The Plaza, they passed school where Mecklenburg County Sheriff Deputy was directing traffic. Rothwell stated he told the Deputy the victim was acting crazy, and he thought he had gun. 

Rothwell stated the Deputy let traffic go, and he proceeded forward. The victim made left into the Food Lion parking lot, and Rothwell also made the left. 

He passed the victim, who made right shoulder gesture, and who was pulled off on the left side of the parking lot. Rothwell stated he pulled up to the front of the store so he could let his girlfriend out. His girlfriend exited the car, and he turned to go up one of the lanes in the parking lot.

Rothwell stated he heard the victim's car coming up near him, so he got his gun out from under the driver's mat. 

The victim pulled up next to him and said, "What's up now, fat boy?" Rothwell stated the victim made gesture with his right shoulder. He thought the victim was going to shoot him, so he shot at the victim to neutralize the threat. 

Rothwell at no point saw the victim with gun. He stated he saw the victim drive his car and crash into the nearby building, but he did not call 911.

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from cameras in the Food Lion parking lot. It showed female exiting the suspect's vehicle. The victim's vehicle approaches on the driver's side of the suspect vehicle. The suspect puts his window down and fires multiple times into the victim's vehicle,

Two other occupied vehicles were struck when the suspect opened fire. Responding Officer believes there is probable cause to charge James Rothwell Jr with the Murder of Sean Mason and three counts of SIOV.