Youngstown man charged with felonious assault after alleged road rage incident
Boardman police charged a 54-year-old Youngstown man with felonious assault and aggravated menacing after he allegedly waved a cell phone as if it was a silver gun at a fellow motorist on September 25 in the 500 block of Market Street.
Officers were called to investigate a reported collision at the location with a report of a gun involved. The involved parties were driving a silver Chevrolet Cruze and a black Honda Pilot. The two were separated from one another when officers arrived. The driver of the Cruze stated the driver of the Honda intentionally struck his vehicle and, after doing so, pulled along side of him and produced a handgun. However, after the driver of the Honda was patted down, the report stated no weapons were found on him or inside of the vehicle.
When asked to describe the gun, the driver of the Cruze stated it was a small silver weapon.
After being taken into custody, the man, identified as Elias Rodriquez, reportedly told an officer he held his cellphone in a way that it would look like a gun and admitted to waving it at the victim.
Other witnesses wee interviewed and the victim told officers he was driving in the left lane of Marked when Rodriquez’s car cut him off. The victim yelled “learn how to drive”, but he began to swerve his vehicle into the Cruze’s lane, eventually colliding with the car. Damage was sustained to both vehicles.