By: Josh Spreiter, WOWT Channel 6
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) — For the first time the victim in an alleged road rage incident on the interstate is speaking out. He says another driver pulled a gun on him. “He was in my blind spot so by the time I saw him, he honked at me and I got back over,” said Joseph Gutierrez.
Gutierrez says he’s never been victim to road rage like what he experienced last week. He says he accidentally cut another driver off while merging onto the interstate. The man started following him.
“I rolled my passenger window down and he’s like ‘I’m going to shoot you in the face’” recalled Gutierrez. After calling police he was eventually able to get away.
Police responded to another road rage incident this week near 42nd and Leavenworth. Police say it ended with a woman getting maced in the face with her child in the back seat.
Kurt Sorys with 88 Tactical Group says if you find yourself in a road rage situation, you need to develop a plan of action.
“Look for an out. If you can back up and drive away, simply back up and drive away. Disengage from that situation. Don’t get into a verbal confrontation if you don’t have to,” Sorys said.
He says it’s also best to call 911 right away and tell the other person you’ve done so. Sometimes, Sorys says, that’s enough to scare them away. If somebody persists with their violence, he says they you have to make a scaled judgement.
“If you feel that your life is in jeopardy, drive thru them, but it would have to be situation where you truly believe that your life is in jeopardy and that you could articulate that to somebody else that is a reasonable person.”
To avoid road rage altogether, Sorys says pay attention to your driving habits at all times. It’s something Gutierrez can now agree with. He said, “Keep aware of your surroundings and keep your eye on the road.”
The 88 Tactical Group is in the process of developing a safety course for drivers on the road.
