Driver from fatal accident cited for another incident

COEUR d'ALENE — Gary E. Dixon is known from a viral video showing him shirtless with a swastika tattoo and trying to start a fight at Texas Roadhouse one year ago.

He's also known for an accident on U.S. 95 at Honeysuckle Avenue on May 31 that left Jeffrey P. Kirk, 37, of Coeur d'Alene, dead. Dixon allegedly ran a red light in that accident, striking Kirk's car in the driver's side door.

Last week, Dixon, 42, of Coeur d'Alene, was cited by Coeur d'Alene Police for following too closely, following an accident near Government Way and Kathleen Avenue, court documents show.

Dixon declined on Wednesday to comment about any of the incidents.

In this recent traffic incident, Dixon was driving his 2012 Chevy Suburban when he rear-ended a 2000 Nissan Frontier. The driver of that vehicle complained of back and neck pain and was taken to Kootenai Health by ambulance, according to a police accident report.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh was out of the office Wednesday and unavailable for comment.

For the August 2014 incident at the Texas Roadhouse in Coeur d'Alene, Dixon was sentenced to 20 days in jail on a reduced charge of disturbing the peace. He did work in the sheriff's labor program instead of jail time.

That incident was caught on video and posted online. It showed Dixon, with his shirt off and tattoo visible on his chest, yelling at a man in the restaurant parking lot and threatening to beat him up. Dixon has since had the tattoo covered up with a new tattoo.

The victim in that incident told police that during the course of his meal with friends an overcooked steak was returned. Dixon, sitting nearby, got annoyed with the plate going back. Dixon has said the waitress cried because of treatment she received, and that's what upset him.

The victim didn't know Dixon was upset until he was confronted in the parking lot. The victim's wife captured video, which was later posted on Facebook and YouTube. Dixon was initially arrested for battery.