Road rage: Knife-wielding man chases motorist in St. Johns County

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A driver was so enraged by another vehicle merging into St. Johns County traffic that he slashed one of the vehicle's tires and chased a fellow motorist with a knife, authorities said Thursday.

The incident unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday after the victim's vehicle left the roadway along Dobbs Road just off State Road 207, according to an incident report obtained by News4Jax.

According to the report, a red Jeep Grand Cherokee moved to block the path of the victim's vehicle as it maneuvered back into traffic. The Jeep's driver then got out of his car, clutching a nine-inch blade.

Things took a scary turn when a passenger exited the victim's vehicle. The report said the armed man chased the passenger around the car and then punctured one of its tires so he could not be followed.

A witness told News4Jax reporter Chris Parenteau that she did not see how the incident began, but she did see a driver armed with a knife chasing another man on the side of the road.

"I couldn't hear a word they were saying, but both of them were yelling," said the witness, who spoke with News4Jax on the condition of anonymity. " ... The man in the red Jeep just kind of took it too far."

She said her son is just beginning to drive. Seeing something like this play out makes her nervous, she said, knowing just how many dangers there are on the road. 

The victims were not able to get the Jeep's plate because the tag was bent. The victims described their attacker as 6-foot-2 and white with curly brown hair, wearing a brown shirt and blue jeans.

Sheriff's Office spokesperson Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan said this incident was completely avoidable. He said drivers need to follow the rules of the road and let cooler heads prevail.

"We have to have individuals that certainly are not disobeying the rules of the road and trying to inconvenience someone else who is patiently doing everything they need to do to get where they are going as well," said Mulligan.

The Sheriff's Office is reaching out to the public in the hopes that someone witnessed the incident or captured it on video. If you can help, please call Crime Stoppers at (888) 277-TIPS.