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Livonia man charged in road rage incident caught on camera

Posted at 6:58 PM, Aug 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-14 19:02:57-04

(WXYZ) — A Livonia man has been charged with assault and battery for a road rage incident that occurred a few weeks ago along Plymouth near Wayne.

Investigators say the man got out of his vehicle and tried to pull another driver out of his pickup truck. That other driver, Roger Cole, says the man had been swerving, driving way too fast and too aggressively.

"I beeped at him," Cole said. "One, to let him know I was unhappy. Two, hopefully to get him to slow down or relax or you know, don't do that."

Prior to a witness starting to shoot part of the attack on a cell phone, Cole says the man was punching him through the open window.

"I was able to block a lot of his punches as he was throwing them," Cole said. "I didn't want my glasses to break so i kinda took them off, and as I was looking back he hit me once real hard in the mouth (and) kinda slit my lip and he reached in and opened my door."

After that, Cole says the man tried to pull him out of the truck, but only ended up with Cole's shoe, which he tossed into traffic before walking away.

Livonia police say they quickly got a lead and soon found out the man behind the attack was David Brown of Livonia.

"We were very lucky,"said Capt. Ron Taig with Livonia police. "Someone in traffic had taken video and ID'd not only the vehicle but we got a license plate. After the interviews (Brown) couldn't give us a good reason... he was just
frustrated over getting beeped at."

Brown has now been charged with assault and battery, which is a 90-day misdemeanor. Cole says he hopes Brown gets the message to just calm down.

"I have a niece that's just now starting to drive," Cole said. "I have two other nieces that I lost in a car accident and really, it's just about people being safe on the road."

Capt. Taig addding, "There has to be a lesson learned here. I think that's for everyone who watches this video how quick something could turn way more serious."