MOTORIST KILLED AFTER STREET DUEL.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

An argument between two motorists after they cut each other off early Thursday turned deadly.

One motorist followed the other home and shot him to death outside his mobile home.

William Elroy Smith, 40, of Lancaster was shot at least twice in the upper body at 1:15 a.m. outside his mobile home in the Blue Skies Mobile Home Park at 1717 E. Ave. I, deputies said.

He died at Antelope Valley Hospital.

Deputies said Smith was returning from a store along with his wife when a man in a older-model blue car cut him off. In response, Smith flashed his lights, honked his horn and pulled in front of the other motorist, deputies said.

``Smith thought he was even and went home,'' said sheriff's Lt. R. David Dietrich. ``It wasn't until later that he realized the man was following him.''

When they pulled up in front of their home, with the other car behind him, Smith told his wife to go inside, officials said.

``A short time later several gunshots were heard by Smith's wife who came outside and found her husband dead,'' said Deputy Mark Bailey.

Officials said the wife did not recognize the other motorist.

``She can't identify any age, race or anything else,'' said Dietrich. ``She just heard the shots.''

Neighbors said the couple had moved into the trailer home about a month ago.