Mara H. Gottfried, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. –
Two separate cases of road rage in St. Paul reportedly escalated to violence: One man is accused of pointed a gun at a car with a 6-year-old girl inside. In the other, a driver allegedly assaulted a 75-year-old good Samaritan who had come to the aid of a pedestrian who was being attacked.
The first occurred after a near-collision between two cars in the area of Third and Arcade streets about 6:10 p.m. Monday, July 2, said Sgt. Paul Paulos, police spokesman.
A 37-year-old man flagged down a passing police squad and reported that a man had just pointed a gun at him, Paulos said. His 6-year-old daughter was in the car and, as they stopped at a light, she said, “Daddy, look, he has a gun,” according to a police report. He could see a man in another car point a pistol at him, Paulos said.
Police followed the car the victim had pointed out, stopped it and found a gun inside, Paulos said. The gun had been stolen, a police report said.
Officers arrested Terrence Phillip Walker II, 22, of St. Paul, on suspicion of assault, making terroristic threats and possession of stolen property and a controlled substance. The Ramsey County attorney’s office is reviewing the case for charges.
The other case also occurred Monday. Police were called at 9:15 p.m. to Snelling and University avenues. A 56-year-old man said he had been walking across the intersection when a driver almost hit him with his car, Paulos said. The man went into CVS and bought a box fan. When he came
outside, the driver was there and started to punch and kick him, while yelling, Paulos said. The victim used the box fan, still in the box, to shield himself, but some punches caught him on the lip.
A 75-year-old man came over to help, yelling at the attacker to stop assaulting the other man, Paulos said. The assailant told the older man to mind his own business, and then continued the assault with an old wooden chair. It wasn’t clear where the chair came from.
Holding the chair’s legs pointed out, the attacker began to swing the chair at the men. It hit the older man’s arm and cut it, Paulos said. The attacker ran away in an unknown direction and was not found.
Police drove the older man to Regions Hospital for treatment. He told police he didn’t know the other victim, but felt he needed to do something, Paulos said.
