Couple sentenced in road rage shooting near Athol

ATHOL — A couple has been convicted for their involvement in a road rage shooting on Valentine’s Day of last year.

Patrick Joshua Coffey, 48, of Tekoa, Wash., received up to 20 years in prison for aiding and abetting discharging a firearm at an occupied motor vehicle and aggravated assault. Coffey was also convicted of being a persistent violator due to having three prior felony offenses, according to a news release from the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office.

Coffey’s criminal history includes convictions for eluding a peace officer, DUI, grand theft, battery, domestic battery, burglary and several probation violations, the news release said.

Coffey will be eligible for parole after 10 years.

Caroline Silva, 44, also of Tekoa, received up to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm at an occupied motor vehicle. Silva had no prior criminal history and will be eligible for parole after two years.

Coffey and Silva were both sentenced by District Judge Barbara Duggan. Silva was sentenced Nov. 19 and Coffey on March 4.

Investigators say the couple tailgated another vehicle after being flashed with a high beam in response to their erratic driving. The victim vehicle pulled over and allowed the suspect vehicle to pass. The suspect vehicle, however, drove up the road a distance before pulling over along the side of the road, the release said. 

After being told by Coffey to “dump on that dude,” Silva fired several rounds at the victim vehicle as it drove away, police said.

Coffey and Silva then fled but were quickly located by responding officers near Super 1 Foods on North Roberts Road.

There were no injuries, the news release said.