Road rage attack, police 'building' a case?

Road rage attack, police 'building' a case?

Author
Discussion

strain

Original Poster:

419 posts

100 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
So 15 days ago my Father in law had an altercation with another older guy (FIL 72, other guy 61) guy tried to cut from the middle lane across him to take left exit, FIL refused to let him in and the stayed side by side for 1/2 mile (FIL in a big curtainside van) and at some point the guy has hit his mirror off the van.

He then proceeds to force the van to stop, exits his car, smashes both drivers windows, windscreen and passenger window, can't see what he's used but it made light work of the windows. also threatened to kill FIL.

Thankfully FIL ok, van fixed 2 days later, I took him to the police station 5 days later to give in dash cam footage, photos of the damage and a statement saying I removed then off the dashcam. FIL gave a statement of what happened and the police said he would be arrested within 5 days and charged with public order offence and a few others.

Heard absolutely nothing since apart from CPS are building a case. dash cam clearly shows the full encounter, clear registration and photos of the driver. The police person I spoke to said 'if its the guy i think / I'm pretty sure it is' so we know they could identify the guy off previous record.

What's taking so long? we originally thought they would speak to him the same day, I know the police are really understaffed but surely this type of thing should be a slightly higher priority?

if the CPS decide not to go ahead, is there anything we can do to see some justice?

(FTR I know it would have been easier to let the guy in and avoid the situation, but the same time the guy knew exactly what he was doing, two wrongs don't make a right)

NGee

2,378 posts

163 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
strain said:
(FTR I know it would have been easier to let the guy in and avoid the situation, but the same time the guy knew exactly what he was doing, two wrongs don't make a right)
You're right, two wrongs don't make a right, they usually make one hell of a big 'wrong'.
Sorry but I don't have a lot of sympathy, your FIL could have easily avoided the situation by not being one of the 'wrongs'.

Baiting a road rager rarely ends well.

xjay1337

15,966 posts

117 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
If CPS don't proceed then the only thing you can do is to take law into your own hands.

untakenname

4,953 posts

191 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
Or upload it to youtube, once it makes the news (mainly dailymail) the Police will take action.

Seen it happen multiple times over the past couple of years.

KAgantua

3,848 posts

130 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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Your father in law is a cretin and he thoroughly deserved everything he could have got.

Graveworm

8,476 posts

70 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
strain said:
So 15 days ago my Father in law had an altercation with another older guy (FIL 72, other guy 61) guy tried to cut from the middle lane across him to take left exit, FIL refused to let him in and the stayed side by side for 1/2 mile (FIL in a big curtainside van) and at some point the guy has hit his mirror off the van.

He then proceeds to force the van to stop, exits his car, smashes both drivers windows, windscreen and passenger window, can't see what he's used but it made light work of the windows. also threatened to kill FIL.

Thankfully FIL ok, van fixed 2 days later, I took him to the police station 5 days later to give in dash cam footage, photos of the damage and a statement saying I removed then off the dashcam. FIL gave a statement of what happened and the police said he would be arrested within 5 days and charged with public order offence and a few others.

Heard absolutely nothing since apart from CPS are building a case. dash cam clearly shows the full encounter, clear registration and photos of the driver. The police person I spoke to said 'if its the guy i think / I'm pretty sure it is' so we know they could identify the guy off previous record.

What's taking so long? we originally thought they would speak to him the same day, I know the police are really understaffed but surely this type of thing should be a slightly higher priority?

if the CPS decide not to go ahead, is there anything we can do to see some justice?

(FTR I know it would have been easier to let the guy in and avoid the situation, but the same time the guy knew exactly what he was doing, two wrongs don't make a right)
If your FIL is not clear what is happening then the update was unsatisfactory. Whilst justice should be swift it seldom is, where resources are stretched that which can wait does.

If the CPS are building a case (I think this probably refers to reviewing the evidence) then it's likely the driver has been identified and interviewed. It may be they were not arrested these days. The CPS then are not under any significant time pressure and they are stretched as well.

It is probably a good idea for your father in law to contact the officer dealing along with the crime desk to ask for an update and a realistic timetable..

Did he get some victim of crime material and a reference number as this often has the contact information. Email is a more accountable way to communicate than telephone.

As for appealing, there are mechanisms but they can differ subtlety depending on the reasons for and the details of the decision.

Torquey

1,888 posts

227 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
I just cant understand how any car cannot get in front (or behind) of a large van over the space of 0.5 mile. confusedconfused

hutchst

3,696 posts

95 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
I'm just curious, but how did you know the other fella was 61?

tinnitusjosh

324 posts

71 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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Those victim blaming, keyboard warrior pricks on PH who spout all this "he got what was coming" BS are equally as appalling as anyone who blames a female victim of an assault for wearing 'provocative' clothing. The man didn't allow someone to cut him up and had an unnecessary row with another driver, and somehow he deserved to have his van smashed up and for someone to threaten to kill him??

That attitude is feeble and disgusting and is by far the worst thing about this forum.

NGee

2,378 posts

163 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
tinnitusjosh said:
The man didn't allow someone to cut him up and had an unnecessary row with another driver, and somehow he deserved to have his van smashed up and for someone to threaten to kill him??
You are right, he did not deserve to have his van smashed up or to be physically threatened. HOWEVER he could have avoided the whole situation had he not been going out of his way to prevent the other vehicle from going where it wanted to (even if the other vehicle was driving like a tosser). This is the thing with road rage, you never quite know how it's going to end up.

So, no, I don't feel sorry for him, he has brought the problem on himself.

Not sure how pointing this out makes me a keyboard warrior.
But you are entitled to your view, as am I.

coldel

7,732 posts

145 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
If the footage showed the van not giving way and in the end the other driver dropping back and having to pull in behind we would all be saying good on FIL for not letting idiots rule the road...as much as there is victim blaming going on, and yes with that wonderful ability of hindsight we are all the experts and would all handle road situations with perfection each time - someone forcing the vehicle to stop, smashing the thing up, threatening a 71 year old man with death is an escalation way beyond whatever the FIL did - its a lesson for him but the other person is a danger to society in general if that is how they react to nothing more than not giving way and should be locked up asap.

NotBenny

3,917 posts

179 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
NGee said:
You are right, he did not deserve to have his van smashed up or to be physically threatened. HOWEVER he could have avoided the whole situation had he not been going out of his way to prevent the other vehicle from going where it wanted to (even if the other vehicle was driving like a tosser). This is the thing with road rage, you never quite know how it's going to end up.
He could have avoided the whole thing by staying at home that day. He could have avoided the whole thing by never becoming a motorist. Saying "he could have avoided the whole situation" is straight up victim blaming.

I've been told that in Japan, nobody is ever 100% blame free in a car crash - because as far as their system is concerned, if you had stayed at home that day, it wouldn't have happened, so it's at least partly your fault. Which is just bks in my opinion.

NGee

2,378 posts

163 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
NotBenny said:
NGee said:
You are right, he did not deserve to have his van smashed up or to be physically threatened. HOWEVER he could have avoided the whole situation had he not been going out of his way to prevent the other vehicle from going where it wanted to (even if the other vehicle was driving like a tosser). This is the thing with road rage, you never quite know how it's going to end up.
He could have avoided the whole thing by staying at home that day. He could have avoided the whole thing by never becoming a motorist.
Run out of sensible arguments have you?

Bigends

5,412 posts

127 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
Graveworm said:
strain said:
So 15 days ago my Father in law had an altercation with another older guy (FIL 72, other guy 61) guy tried to cut from the middle lane across him to take left exit, FIL refused to let him in and the stayed side by side for 1/2 mile (FIL in a big curtainside van) and at some point the guy has hit his mirror off the van.

He then proceeds to force the van to stop, exits his car, smashes both drivers windows, windscreen and passenger window, can't see what he's used but it made light work of the windows. also threatened to kill FIL.

Thankfully FIL ok, van fixed 2 days later, I took him to the police station 5 days later to give in dash cam footage, photos of the damage and a statement saying I removed then off the dashcam. FIL gave a statement of what happened and the police said he would be arrested within 5 days and charged with public order offence and a few others.

Heard absolutely nothing since apart from CPS are building a case. dash cam clearly shows the full encounter, clear registration and photos of the driver. The police person I spoke to said 'if its the guy i think / I'm pretty sure it is' so we know they could identify the guy off previous record.

What's taking so long? we originally thought they would speak to him the same day, I know the police are really understaffed but surely this type of thing should be a slightly higher priority?

if the CPS decide not to go ahead, is there anything we can do to see some justice?

(FTR I know it would have been easier to let the guy in and avoid the situation, but the same time the guy knew exactly what he was doing, two wrongs don't make a right)
If your FIL is not clear what is happening then the update was unsatisfactory. Whilst justice should be swift it seldom is, where resources are stretched that which can wait does.

If the CPS are building a case (I think this probably refers to reviewing the evidence) then it's likely the driver has been identified and interviewed. It may be they were not arrested these days. The CPS then are not under any significant time pressure and they are stretched as well.

It is probably a good idea for your father in law to contact the officer dealing along with the crime desk to ask for an update and a realistic timetable..

Did he get some victim of crime material and a reference number as this often has the contact information. Email is a more accountable way to communicate than telephone.

As for appealing, there are mechanisms but they can differ subtlety depending on the reasons for and the details of the decision.
If the other drivers been traced and interviewed and charged / bailed / RUI - then the OP's F.I.L should have been informed on the day. This is a significant event in the investigation and victims should be kept updated under the victim code.

rambo19

2,737 posts

136 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
hutchst said:
I'm just curious, but how did you know the other fella was 61?
This.

numtumfutunch

4,704 posts

137 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
Torquey said:
I just cant understand how any car cannot get in front (or behind) of a large van over the space of 0.5 mile. confusedconfused
At a guess lane 1 was the usual HGV tailgating-fest

Other driver saw a nice gap to move into lane 1 half a mile from his exit - nice anticipation
At this point FiL van didnt fancy letting him in so tickled his right foot to block the manoeuvre and the rest is history

Play stupid games - win stupid prizes



markjmd

549 posts

67 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
numtumfutunch said:
At a guess lane 1 was the usual HGV tailgating-fest

Other driver saw a nice gap to move into lane 1 half a mile from his exit - nice anticipation
At this point FiL van didnt fancy letting him in so tickled his right foot to block the manoeuvre and the rest is history

Play stupid games - win stupid prizes
This doesn't change the fact that:
Person who doesn't let late-indicating lane-changer in= bit of a d!ck.
Person who follows a complete stranger motorist, forces them off the road, and then proceeds to inflict serious criminal damage to their vehicle and threaten to kill them= raging nutter who needs locking up yesterday.

Escort3500

11,827 posts

144 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
rambo19 said:
hutchst said:
I'm just curious, but how did you know the other fella was 61?
This.
We’re still waiting OP biggrin

dudleybloke

19,717 posts

185 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
Escort3500 said:
rambo19 said:
hutchst said:
I'm just curious, but how did you know the other fella was 61?
This.
We’re still waiting OP biggrin
Was he wearing a "made in 1958" t-shirt?

Dromedary66

1,924 posts

137 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
quotequote all
strain said:
FIL refused to let him in and the stayed side by side for 1/2 mile (FIL in a big curtainside van) and at some point the guy has hit his mirror off the van...

...dash cam footage
Yeh, sounds about right for a dash cammer engineering an altercation.