Suspenseful cellphone videos capture apparent road rage in San Diego’s North County, when a pickup truck driver chased down a car and ultimately kicked in its driver-side window.
The viewer, who sent the two exclusive videos to NBC 7, said it was the craziest thing he had ever seen.
“I was absolutely terrified that morning on my way to work,” said the viewer, who wished to remain anonymous, in an email.
The incident started Wednesday morning near Centre City Parkway and State Route 78 in Escondido, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Witnesses told officials a white Dodge pickup truck cut off multiple cars and slammed on his breaks in front of a Honda Accord.
When the Honda driver took off, the truck followed close behind.
The video shows the two vehicles darting dangerously in and out of lanes and around traffic. Toward the end, the Honda appears to take the Nordahl exit and then drives down the shoulder embankment, back onto the freeway to escape the truck. The tactic did not work.
Local
In the second video, about one mile down the road, the Dodge and the Honda are seen stopped at the right shoulder.
The Honda had slammed into the truck's rear end, so the truck driver ran to the car and kicked out the Honda’s driver-side window, according to the CHP. Shattered glass covered the inside of the car.
In the end, both drivers went to the San Diego County Sheriff’s substation in San Marcos to give their accounts.
The CHP said a complaint will be filed against the truck driver for assault with a deadly weapon, assault and battery, and vandalism. No other cars were hit in the incident, officials said.
“It was so stupid and scary, and people need to relax a little and not do this in life,” the viewer said in the email.
NBC 7 contacted the driver of the Dodge truck for his comment, but he has not returned our calls.
