A flash of road rage turned deadly on Friday night when two drivers began fighting on the edge of Interstate 65. One man shot the other as they both supposedly reached for a gun.

Nashville police said that Eric Nichols, 28, of Columbia, fatally shot Christopher Jankowski, 53, of Christiana, with a pistol that fell from his waistband during the struggle. Nicholas has claimed he shot Jankowski in self-defense, and although police have not arrested him at this time, they say the case remains “very much under investigation.”

According to a police news release, Nichols said that he and Jankowski became angry at each other when Nichols attempted to merge onto the interstate from the Harding Place onramp during heavy traffic. Then men ended up pulling over onto the interstate shoulder, then got out of their vehicles and began yelling at each other, the news release states.

Soon, the dispute turned physical, and as the men struggled with each other, the fight abruptly escalated.

“Nichols said during the fight, his pistol fell from his waistband,” police said in the news release. “ He said both of them went for the gun, and that he ultimately shot Jankowski one time as the fight continued.”

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Police said in the news release they are interested in speaking with any motorist who may have seen any part of the altercation between Nichols and Jankowksi, which occurred on the southbound side of I-65 between 5:05 pm and 5:17p.m. Witnesses are asked to call the Midtown Hills Precinct investigation department at 615-880-1511.

Brett Kelman is the health care reporter for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 615-259-8287 or at brett.kelman@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter at @brettkelman