May 15, 2009 7:07 pm US/Eastern
Case Of Road Rage Leaves Man Dead On Long Island
LONG BEACH, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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The 34-year-old driver of this yellow Porsche was killed in an apparent case of road rage in Long Beach on May 15, 2009.
CBS
An apparent case of road rage ends in tragedy on Long Island. The driver of a Porsche is dead and another driver is in custody. Now police are trying to figure out what instigated it all.
In what witnesses are calling a terrifying and fatal case of road rage, a 34-year-old Long Beach victim was struck with such force it knocked him out of his brown sneakers, as he fell violently onto W. Park Ave. in front of the Long Beach City Hall. He had exited his yellow Porsche moments before to confront the driver of a Nissan Altima.
"If you have ever had your foot stepped on and pushed backwards, that's what it looked like. The car hit his leg right in line with the wheel on the driver's side, the guy went straight back, hit his head real hard, and the kid just stepped on the accelerator, went right over him like he was a cat in the road," said witness John Messina.
The 22-year-old driver of the Altima sped off before being chased down and detained by passersby until he could be arrested by police.
Witness Eileen Kelly heard the suspect once in handcuffs apologizing to police, saying it was an accident
He was speaking to the police officer and he was saying, 'I was trying to get away from him, I was trying to get away from him. I even called 911 on my cell phone, check my cell phone,'" she said.
Police describe an angry exchange of words between the two drivers, one may have cut off another several blocks away when the Porsche pulled up perpendicular to the Altima, boxing him in.
"We believe he extended his arms and said something to him. We believe it was a profanity. We don't know the exact phrase that was used, but at that time the driver stepped on the gas, struck him, might have dragged him for a short period of time,"
Messina thinks it was the victim to blame for the incident getting out of his Porsche, banging on the hood of the Altima, and threatening the suspect.
"I understand road rage, it happens, but this guy took it a step too far," he said.
The Long Beach City Manager has urged calm until all the facts are in, saying this apparent road rage incident has become a nightmare for both families.
Police are not revealing the identities of the victim or suspect until all families have been notified. The suspect could face murder charges.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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