BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — It was a terrifying ordeal that played out at a busy intersection on February 2. Police in Bloomfield Township say the victim in a road rage incident feared for her life and called 911.
Today, I obtained copies of two 911 calls, including hers, and talked to police about the urgent warning on the heels of a spike in road rage reports.
LISTEN: 911 calls during alleged road rage incident in Bloomfield Township
“I was driving down Telegraph at the intersection of Maple and a male with his face covered and a mask pointed a gun at me," said the victim.
The call from the fearful driver was telling police she’s been the victim of road rage along northbound Telegraph Road.
Police said it was around noon on Sunday when the victim was cut off by the man, threatening her life soon after in the area of Maple and Telegraph.
Another 911 call was also made by a witness, who said she heard the exact threat being made.
“They’re stopped in the middle of traffic, the guy rolled the window down and the guy had a gun. He said to the girl, 'I’m going to take your life right now,'” said the witness.
It was a chilling encounter, ending with the driver leaving the scene. Police say they located him at home in Dearborn Heights two days later, making an arrest and recovering this from his car:
The gun was not real, the red markings indicate it’s fake, but police say it looked and felt real to the victim two lanes away. Police say the man is now facing a real assault charge.
Police say side by side with a real firearm, the gun certainly closely resembles a real weapon, found in the Cadillac driven by Mohamad Qasim Al-Amiri.
“Don’t engage, and you can also call police if this happens so you don’t have to deal with it yourself," said Bloomfield Twp. Police Officer Heather Glowacz.
Police say this case is one of three in just the last week involving road rage, a troubling trend drivers I talked to say is alarming.
“During COVID, it happened more, people are getting worse on the road," said one driver.
The driver of that Cadillac did post bond of about $1,000, meaning he was free to leave until his next court appearance.
Police are warning the public to simply avoid altercations on the road, and not get into dangerous situations.
