Police warn about road rage consequences after incidents in Warrington, Philadelphia
Police are issuing a warning about dangerous driving after two recent incidents in the region.
"You gotta beware of the road ragers," said Joanne, a Parkwood resident who experienced a frightening encounter Wednesday morning on Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia.
Joanne said the situation escalated after she attempted to change lanes.
"Next thing I know, she's shooting silly string at my car window, and it got all over my window. That could cause a crash," she said. "It was unbelievable. Who has silly string on the ready?"
Shaken by the incident, Joanne said she now worries about how similar situations could escalate.
"It's not funny. She could kill somebody, or what if someone has a gun and is going to shoot her for doing that?" she said.
The 6abc data journalism team found from Gun Violence Archive reports that there have been at least 11 road rage shootings in Pennsylvania, including six in Philadelphia, this past year.
"When emotions take over behind the wheel, it leads to reckless decisions," said Warrington Police Chief Daniel Friel. "It could cause irreversible harm to innocent people."
Friel said his department has responded to 16 serious road rage incidents this year, including one on Aug. 6 involving a 17-year-old girl on Easton Road.
The teen was attempting to switch lanes when Valentyn Yevsyeyenko, 42, of Doylestown, allegedly tailgated and brake-checked her. She tried to escape to the BJ's Wholesale Club parking lot.
"In a panic, the female driver juvenile, put it in reverse, backed up over a curb and through a set of bushes," said Chief Friel. "She had nowhere else to go, and then he jumped on the hood of the car, put his hands on the windshield and started stomping on the windshield."
Friel urged drivers to report aggressive behavior and stay calm behind the wheel.
"You can't control how others drive, but you can control how you respond, that's my biggest thing," he said.
The victim's vehicle sustained about $6,000 in damage. Friel said the district attorney and Yevsyeyenko's attorney are discussing restitution, and appropriate charges will be filed.
Depending on the behavior, suspects in road rage cases could face charges ranging from traffic violations to assault or even attempted murder.
