Mercedes driver pulls gun, attacks motorist in road rage incident, Florida police say

An accused “armed road rager” is facing felony charges after he hopped out of his Mercedes and smacked the driver behind him in a Florida gated community, according to police.

The 63-year-old suspect is also accused of assaulting the victim’s passenger and taking her cell phone, Port St. Lucie Police Department said in a news release.

It happened at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, on a residential street in the “exclusive” Heatherwood neighborhood.

“The investigation revealed that (the suspect) drove his black Mercedes aggressively around the victim’s truck while pointing a handgun at the two victims and then stopped in front of them in the roadway,” police said.

“(He) exited his vehicle with the handgun in his hand, approached the adult driver, and struck him through the open window. He also struck the adult passenger while demanding her to give him her cell phone, due to her recording the incident.”

Video of the incident shared by WFLA shows the victim also had a weapon in his lap and is heard saying: “Should I shoot him?” as the suspect approaches holding a gun.

The two drivers are heard arguing over who started the dispute, and punches are thrown, according to the video. The suspect is then heard demanding the passenger’s cell phone.

Investigators said the suspect fled and was stopped “a short while later” by deputies with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. A handgun believed to have been used in the incident was recovered, police said.

The suspect was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery with a firearm and two counts of simple battery. Bond was set at $105,000.

Port St. Lucie is about a 111-mile drive north from Miami.

This story was originally published August 23, 2024 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Mercedes driver pulls gun, attacks motorist in road rage incident, Florida police say."