Police: Father driving children pulled machete during road rage incident
A father pulled a machete on another driver during a road rage incident in Worcester while his two children were in the car, authorities say.
The incident happened at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday near Burncoat Junior High School. Police said Aldo Rivera, 41, of Worcester was driving behind another driver who slowed down while children crossed the street. The students at the school had just been released for the day. Rivera was tailgating and tried to pass the driver, according to the Worcester police.
“The two operators exchanged hand gestures and profanities toward one another,” according to a statement on the Worcester police’s Facebook page.
When the driver in front of Rivera eventually pulled over to let him pass, police said Rivera passed him and then pulled over to the side of the road. Rivera then took a machete out of his trunk and threatened the driver with it before punching the driver in the side of his face, police said.
Rivera denied threatening the driver with the machete but said there was a machete in his car, police said. An officer found the machete under the floor mat of the passenger seat, where Rivera’s 13-year-old daughter was sitting, officials said. Rivera’s 17-year-old son was also in the car.
Rivera was arrested and charged with assault by means of a dangerous weapon (a machete), assault and battery, and threatening to commit a crime (murder).
Rivera will be arraigned Wednesday at the Worcester District County Courthouse.
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