AVONDALE, AZ (CBS5) -
A jury has found a cab driver guilty of manslaughter in connection with a road rage brawl that left a Valley grandfather dead.
Police believe cabbie Gary Mayo, 45, of Peoria, and his passenger, Shawn King, 47, of Avondale, beat to death James Fournier, 57, of Buckeye, in a parking lot near Sam's Club in August 2011.
Mayo was backing his AAA cab out of a parking spot and nearly crashed into a vehicle carrying Fournier, who was a passenger, said Det. Reuben Gonzales of the Avondale Police Department.
Fournier got out of his car to defend his wife during an ensuing argument, Gonzales said.
At that point, police said that witnesses saw Mayo and King push the victim to the ground where Mayo kicked him, leaving Fournier unconscious and unresponsive.
Officers at the scene attempted lifesaving measures until Avondale fire arrived. Fournier was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Gonzales said.
Patrol officers and investigators were able to locate the cab using the taxi GPS system and stopped the taxi about an hour later in the area of 107th Avenue and Van Buren Street, where Mayo was taken into custody. King was taken into custody a short time later.
Mayo was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail for first-degree homicide and King was booked for second-degree homicide.
On Friday, the jury found Mayo guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The jury did not find an aggravating factor.
Mayo is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12.
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Gary Mayo, left, and Shawn King
