A Darby man was arrested for killing another driver in an apparent road-rage shooting, police said

A Darby man who police say fatally shot another driver while stopped in rush-hour traffic Wednesday morning has been charged with first-degree murder, authorities said Friday.

Saddiq Washington, 22, was taken into custody Thursday evening after a 48-hour search, according to Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. Washington was denied bail after a brief arraignment, and there was no indication he had hired an attorney.

During an interview with detectives, Washington admitted to fatally shooting King Hua, 54, at the intersection of State Road and Meetinghouse Lane in Springfield Township, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. The motive for the shooting was unclear, but investigators said Washington was upset that Hua was driving too slowly.

“This was a senseless, brutal act,” said Stollsteimer, who credited detectives for their “tireless” police work in piecing together the identity of Hua’s killer. “The Delaware County law enforcement community was not going to let this go without finding justice.”

Washington had legally purchased the gun he used to kill Hua, according to court records. He was issued a permit to carry a concealed weapon in August by Delaware County.

Hua, who owned several business in the township, was driving home with his wife on State Road about 9 a.m. Wednesday when a Chevrolet Equinox driven by Washington’s mother pulled slightly ahead of them and stopped, the affidavit said. Washington leaned out of the window of the SUV, and shot twice into Hua’s car through its windshield, killing him. The Equinox then sped away.

Medics who responded to the scene found Hua slumped behind the wheel of his Toyota Camry, shot in his eye and ear. He was taken to Crozer Chester Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Hua’s wife, who lives blocks from the scene of the shooting, did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

A witness told police she saw the Equinox swerving aggressively in traffic shortly before it stopped and the shooting unfolded, the affidavit said. Detectives searched for surveillance footage from nearby homes and businesses and found a clear image of the car’s license plate.

Detectives traced the plate to a home in Darby and that led them to Washington. Police had been to the home on Tuesday responding to reports of a fire, the affidavit said. A man matching Washington’s description spoke with officers during that incident, which involved a kitchen appliance, the document said.

After the shooting, county detectives staked out the home for several hours Thursday, and found the Equinox parked outside, the affidavit said. They took Washington’s mother into custody as she attempted to get into the SUV, and later found Washington inside a bedroom on the second floor of the home.

Washington’s mother has not been charged with a crime, but Stollsteimer said her involvement in the incident remained under investigation.

Inside the family’s home, detectives recovered the 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun that they say was used in the shooting.

At a news conference Friday, Stollsteimer decried the ready availability of firearms and the willingness of some to use them at the slightest provocation.

“In the old days, we settled disputes with harsh words, and sometimes fisticuffs,” Stollsteimer said. “Now, we have people with guns strapped to their waists, waiting for the slightest impulse.”