RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — A man who allegedly shot a FedEx driver seven times claimed self-defense after following the victim from Port St. Lucie to Riviera Beach in a highway road rage incident, according to police documents.
Tyler Vidro, 24, of Boynton Beach was arrested April 17 following the killing of Nathaniel Padgett, 34, a FedEx employee who was gunned down at the FedEx facility on Blue Heron Boulevard.
According to the arrest affidavit, the incident on April 16 began as a confrontation on Florida's Turnpike South in Port St. Lucie. Padgett was driving his FedEx delivery truck with his girlfriend when Vidro allegedly pulled alongside their truck, lowered his window and made gestures attempting to provoke a confrontation. Padgett ignored the behavior and continued driving.
Vidro followed Padgett's truck to the Riviera Beach FedEx facility where they arrived shortly after 9 p.m. The footage captured Vidro exiting his vehicle and waiting near the loading bay doors for Padgett to come from the building.
When Padgett came out and attempted to reach his personal truck, Vidro approached him, saying, "You hit my car," according to audio captured on surveillance.
Police say Padgett tried to disengage by driving away, but Vidro pursued him in his vehicle. Padgett drove to the other side of the facility, exited his vehicle and picked up a concrete block from the ground. Surveillance footage shows Padgett approaching Vidro's vehicle with the concrete block, stating he didn't hit Vidro's car. Multiple gunshots were then fired, with the flashes visible on camera.
The concrete block fell from Padgett's hands as he was struck. Police noted the block was held at waist level and was never thrown or raised in a threatening manner before shots were fired.
Padgett was shot seven times— three gunshot wounds to the chest, two to the lower abdomen, one to his arm and one to his leg.
After the shooting, Vidro fled the scene at high speed. About 20 minutes later, he called West Palm Beach Police from a Sunoco gas station, claiming he felt threatened and had to use his firearm.
During the call, Vidro spontaneously said, "I didn't think to call you guys, but the lawyer told me to."
Padgett died at St. Mary's Medical Center shortly before 11:30 p.m., and police say the ShotSpotter system detected nine gunshots at the scene, and nine 9mm shell casings were recovered.
Vidro is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance May 17.
