Driver accused of killing man in Riverview road rage shooting denied bond by Tampa judge

RIVERVIEW, Fla. - The driver accused of shooting and killing a man during a road rage incident in Hillsborough County appeared in court Monday afternoon.

Kentavious Gholston, 26, is charged with second-degree murder. He’s accused of shooting a killing Steven Powers, 61, on U.S. 301 near Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview.

Emotions were high in a Hillsborough County courtroom on Monday as family members of Powers and Gholston filled in. At the pre-trial detention hearing, prosecutors played videos that captured the incident from different angles.

RELATED: Road rage suspect appears in court days after deadly Riverview shooting on U.S. 301

The state showed rear dash camera video from a car that was driving on U.S. 301 in front of Powers’ white work van. A detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office testified Monday that the video captures a black Mazda, that they later determined was driven by Gholston, cut in front of Powers’ work van.

That detective said a witness, who was in Powers’ work van, told them Powers honked his horn.

"Which resulted in the driver of the Mazda, who we later learned was the defendant, brake checking, essentially slamming on the brakes," Detective Garcia said.

That detective said the witness told him that Powers’ van and Gholston’s car hit each other as a result of the brake-checking. Gholston’s attorney said he showed detectives photos of damage to his car.

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Prosecutors also showed security video from a school nearby that captured the rest of the incident. Prosecutors said Powers got out of his work van and approached Gholston’s car.

Gholston’s attorney said he saw Powers by the gas tank of his car, and got out of his car. A detective said Gholston told them that Powers swung at him, but he dodged the punch, then pushed Powers to the ground.

The state said that's when Gholston shot Powers four times.

"This is an unarmed victim, facing away from him, in a position down on the ground where he is defenseless, and he’s shot four times in the back," a prosecutor said.

However, Gholston’s attorney said as Powers was walking towards Gholston’s car, he was making threatening and derogatory statements towards Gholston.

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"This was a clear-cut case of self-defense," Janet Howard, Gholston’s attorney, said. "My client was standing his ground. This victim, or alleged victim, approached him, he approached him aggressively."

She said Gholston told detectives that he was scared in this incident. Howard said Gholston told detectives that he thought that he and Powers were pulling over to exchange information after the cars hit each other.

A detective said they didn’t find any weapons on Powers at the scene.

After emotional moments in the courtroom, the judge ordered Gholston to stay in jail without bond.

"Very senseless," Tampa Judge Michelle Sisco said. "This whole thing. So senseless. Poor judgment." 

Powers’ family spoke after the hearing, and said they were happy that Gholston wasn’t given bond.

"I’ve lost my only brother," said Thomas Powers, the brother of the victim. "I just don’t understand it. I don’t understand it."

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