Excelsior Springs, Mo. (March 11, 2025) – A road rage confrontation in the parking lot of Price Chopper on Tuesday morning escalated into a violent altercation that left one man with a stab wound and another in police custody.
According to the Excelsior Springs Police Department (ESPD), officers responded to a reported stabbing at 1645 Kearney Road at approximately 9:28 a.m. on March 11. The incident began minutes earlier on W. Jesse James Road when 47-year-old Richard Okane noticed a black Ford Fusion speeding and weaving through traffic. As the vehicle passed him in the opposite direction, Okane reacted by flipping off the driver—later identified as 46-year-old Jeremy Paul Daigle of Richmond, MO.
Police reports indicate that Daigle then made a sudden U-turn in traffic and began following Okane. Both men pulled into the Price Chopper parking lot, where a heated verbal argument ensued. Witnesses stated that during the confrontation, Daigle spit in Okane’s face. As Okane moved toward him, Daigle allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the left side of his abdomen.
Emergency medical services arrived on the scene to treat Okane, who suffered a minor puncture wound. Officers secured the area and obtained statements from witnesses, one of whom saw Daigle pull out a knife and make contact with Okane’s stomach.
Meanwhile, Excelsior Springs Police spotted Daigle’s black Ford Fusion near Isley Boulevard and Regent Avenue and initiated a traffic stop. Daigle was detained without resistance and admitted to having a knife in his vehicle and permitted officers to search his vehicle. Officers recovered the weapon, a fixed blade knife, which was later processed as evidence.
While in custody, Daigle reportedly made several unsolicited statements, including, “I pulled it because he tried to hit me,” and “I tried to block him, then I cut him. It’s like a scratch.” He also expressed remorse, saying, “I’m sorry,” at the time of his arrest.
Daigle was charged with second-degree assault and armed criminal action. The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant with a bond set at $10,000. Conditions of the bond include prohibitions against possessing weapons and coming within 100 feet of the victim.
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