Man from Ontario Faces Assault Charges Following Road Rage Altercation with Knife Near Toronto

Toronto police have laid charges in an apparent road rage incident after a man was seen threatening a person with a knife in a video posted to social media.

Two men were seen “driving a vehicle dangerously” in the area when another driver got out of his vehicle and began recording them, police said.

The man brandishing the knife appears to take several swipes at the person, prompting the victim to back away from the man.

The passenger of the suspect’s vehicle is also alleged to have threatened the victim before both men “returned to their vehicle and fled the scene,” police added.

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Toronto Police media relations officer Cindy Chung told The Epoch Times the apparent road rage video is linked to the current investigation.

A man was arrested “a short time later” and has been charged in connection with the incident. Ajax resident Rishabh Barua, 21, was charged with one count of dangerous operation of a conveyance, possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public, and assault with a weapon.

The suspect appeared in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre June 17 and was released on $2,500 bail.

Seventy-eight percent of Canadians polled said they have witnessed incidents of road rage, while 51 percent said they have engaged in such behaviour themselves. The most common behaviours observed by survey respondents were cutting off another driver at 58 percent, tailgating at 57 percent, and honking at 54 percent.

Thirty-eight percent said they have witnessed drivers flashing lights at another vehicle, while 37 percent have witnessed obscene gestures, and 33 percent have seen vehicles brake checking. Twenty-eight percent have seen vehicle collisions caused by road rage while an additional 28 percent have witnessed a driver rolling down the window to yell at someone.

A total of 16 percent of those surveyed have seen a driver stop and exit their vehicle to confront another driver.

The survey found younger drivers—those in the 18 to 34 age bracket—are more likely to engage in aggressive behaviour behind the wheel than their older counterparts. Sixty-four percent of drivers 34 or younger admitted to some form of road rage behaviour compared to 38 percent of those 55 or older.