James Calvin Rothwell Jr., 55, faces first-degree murder and three counts of shooting into occupied vehicles after the February 19 road-rage shooting that killed 38-year-old Sean Brandon Mason outside the Food Lion at 7400 The Plaza in northeast Charlotte.
Incident sequence
Road rage escalated around 4:30 p.m. when Rothwell and Mason clashed after a near-miss on the road. Court docs say Rothwell dropped off his girlfriend, but Mason followed into the lot, taunting “What’s up now, fat boy?” with a shoulder gesture Rothwell took as reaching for a gun (though he admitted not seeing one). Rothwell then fired multiple shots into Mason’s car and two nearby occupied vehicles.
911 chaos
Callers—shoppers, Food Lion staff, All Care Medical employees—described panic: Mason’s car sped across the street, crashed into the medical center, where he died despite aid. Bullets hit other cars with occupants inside, but no other injuries.
Rothwell’s bond denied; next court March 13. His attorney eyes self-defense, but firing into a crowd undercuts that. Classic Charlotte road-rage tragedy—traffic dispute turns lethal in seconds.
