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Tonya Papanikolas ReportingIt's probably happened to all of us, seeing someone run a red light or a stop sign. But how do we react? And is there a right or wrong way to respond?
Yesterday in North Salt Lake, a driver and two passengers were stopped at an intersection when a red Jeep ran the stop sign and turned right in front of them. The first driver responded by honking at the Jeep.
Police say that angered the men inside, who stopped in the middle of the road and got out. The two men approached the victims' car, threatening one of the passengers by holding a screwdriver near his throat. The other man took out a knife and slashed the car's tires.
The suspects then got back in their Jeep and took off. Police say they're thankful no one was hurt, but want to emphasize if someone upsets you on the road, the best thing to do is just let it go.
Det. Robin Snyder, Salt Lake Police Department: "You never know who you're honking at; you never know what they're capable of or what they're going to do if you honk at them. It's not wrong to honk your horn, but just make sure it's a situation where you're trying to warn someone of danger, not because you're irritated with their driving."
Police recommend calling 911 to report aggressive or erratic drivers, and try to get a license plate number.
The victims in this case did. Police were able to track down the Jeep and find the man with the screwdriver, 20-year-old Alex Govan. He's been arrested for aggravated assault. Officers are still looking for the other suspect who had the knife. They believe he's in his 20s, about 5'10'' with a muscular build, and black hair shaved close with a thin goatee.
