Drivers Accused Of Flashing Gun, Knife At Each Other In I-93 Road Rage
BRAINTREE (CBS) – A driver was arrested Wednesday after police said he flashed a gun during a road rage incident on the highway.
State Police said 33-year-old Daniel Bates of Avon was driving a pickup truck on Route 93 south in Dorchester around 7:45 a.m. when he got into an altercation with the driver of a Honda CRV.
Bates, a Suffolk University security officer, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
"The wrong person is being looked at in this case in my opinion but we're going to wait for the rest of the evidence to come through and it will prove that Mr. Bates is innocent," Bates' attorney Elyse Hershon said.
Bates waved a Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun at the Honda driver, according to investigators. That driver, 42-year-old Melcher Montes from Boston, then pulled out a folding knife, police said, as both vehicles continued on 93 south.
Montes told police Bates never pointed the gun at him, but he thought he was in danger and pulled out a folding knife.
Bates told police that after the knife was shown, Montes yelled out that he would gut Bates like a fish.
Montes called 911 and stayed on the line with dispatchers. Police found both drivers on Hancock Street in Braintree and pulled them over near a gas station.
"I saw a pickup truck, both doors opened surrounded by eight police vehicles," witness Bob Guerriero said.
Bates was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Police took his gun and the Honda driver's knife.
"Charges are also being considered against the operator of the Honda," State Police said in a statement.
Suffolk University is aware of the incident and will review the allegations. "This individual is not authorized by Suffolk University to carry a firearm while on campus or in the performance of his duties," the university said in a statement.