Police Report Another Road Rage Incident

A Woodbury man faces charges as a result of an incident on October 10 that Newtown police described as an apparent case of road rage.

Gary Wamser, 43, was charged with breach of the peace in the second degree and failure to obey a traffic signal after the incident that took place at 7:35 am on Church Hill Road at the westbound off ramp of I-84.

The victim, identified only as Linda Hill, told police that she was driving through a green light at the intersection when Wamser’s black Ford Mustang turned right off the ramp in front of her without stopping, forcing her to brake to avoid hitting him. She told police that when she flashed her headlights at Wamser, he stopped his vehicle, got out and approached her, shouting obscenities. He then reached through the open window on the driver’s side of her car and struck her in the head, she said.

Ms Hill told police that Wamser returned to his vehicle and drove away, turning on Commerce Road and into the parking lot of the post office.

Newtown Police found Wamser’s car in the employee parking lot of the post office. He disputed Ms Hill’s version of the incident.

Wamser was arrested on the charges, then released on a promise to appear Danbury Superior Court on October 24.

It was the second traffic incident categorized as road rage in Newtown last week. On October 6 a Naugatuck man was arrested on a charge of reckless driving when police said he caused an accident on I-84 that resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to a Danbury woman and her 4-year-old daughter. The victims had to be extricated from their vehicle by firefighters from Newtown Hook and Ladder.

Newtown Police Chief Michael Kehoe said there is no charge known as “road rage” but other charges can be lodged in such incidents. “There are charges such as following too close to intimidate,” he said.

The increasing number of cars on the road, particularly at rush hour, has resulted in an increasing number of such incidents.

“As traffic becomes more difficult through Connecticut, the incidence of road rage could continue to increase,” Chief Kehoe said.