Road Rage is Far More than Bad Judgment; It’s Illegal in NJ

You would probably be hard pressed to deny ever feeling annoyed at the behavior of another driver – whether they were speeding, recklessly weaving and certainly if they were texting and not paying attention to the road. However, most people leave it at feeling annoyed and even frustrated.

Others lash out, flipping off fellow drivers, yelling and screaming obscenities and even getting out the car at a stop light or chasing another car to harass them. Road rage, at it’s worst, kills.

One Turnersville, NJ man took road rage to the extreme recently and wound up in jail unable to pay $10,000 cash bail. After allegedly pointing a gun at another driver, Javier Johnson was stopped near Route 322 by the Route 50 overpass. Police charged him with disorderly conduct and making terroristic threats. Though details of the road rage incident weren’t released, the police revealed that hollow point bullets and two loaded handguns were found when they searched Johnson’s car.

Jessica’s Law, ups the penalties for anyone convicted in a road rage incident, was signed into law in New Jersey in 2012 by Gov. Chris Christie. The legislation is named for a 16 year old young woman, now 23, who was seriously injured in a car crash caused by a driver who was angered after being “cut off.” In Jessica’s case, the negligent driver spent four months of a six month sentence behind bars after being convicted of two counts of assault by auto.

If you have been charged with any violations relating to road rage, including reckless driving, contact a criminal defense lawyer who will fight for you in court. John W. Tumelty will mount a defense in an effort to keep you out of jail. Call him today for a free consultation about your charges.