The presence of a camera did nothing to deter an angry driver who stopped his car on the side of an Atlanta interstate last month, assaulted another driver and threatened the man’s life.
The scene played out in broad daylight April 1 on the side of the Buford Spring Connector at I-85 North, one of the most frequently traveled highways through the heart of the city. Video of the tense encounter was released by police Tuesday in an effort to identify the suspect.
The footage is taken from what appears to be a delivery truck for FreshPoint, a produce distributor with a hub in Fairburn, and shows two angles, the interior and exterior. It showed two men climb out of a stopped blue sedan, and one of them approached the delivery driver at his window.
“You better get back in that car,” the driver told the man, who then proceeded to berate him with a steady stream of expletives and a racial slur. He then opened the driver’s door.
According to a police report, the victim told Atlanta officers he cut off the driver of the Honda Accord in traffic, and the driver threw up a one-fingered salute. The delivery driver responded in kind, leading to the recorded exchange.
The man appeared to place his hands around the delivery driver’s throat while threatening to shoot him in the face and “choke the life” out of him, the video shows. The driver announced that he was on camera, pointing toward the lens, but the man offered some obscene ideas for both the man and his camera.
The other man, who remained outside the sedan for the entire encounter, appeared to spit toward the delivery truck before both climbed back into their vehicle and drove away.
The Atlanta Police Department is investigating the assault as a road rage incident, according to a post by Crime Stoppers. They are seeking to identify the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle, which the victim reported had Massachusetts plates.
Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
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