Fremont Man Charged in Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival Road Rage Incident

A Fremont man who allegedly sprayed a family in a car with pepper spray in a road rage incident at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival on Sunday now faces assault and child endangerment charges, San Mateo County prosecutors said Wednesday

Fremont Man Charged in Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival Road Rage Incident

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Gilbert Iruegas, 44, was charged in San Mateo County Superior Court on Tuesday with assault with a deadly weapon, the use of tear gas as a weapon and two counts of child endangerment in connection with the pepper spray attack, prosecutors said.

Iruegas allegedly got involved in a confrontation with a family in another vehicle on southbound state Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay shortly after 5 p.m. Prosecutors said he was trying to cut into the left turn lane to turn onto state Highway 92 and was unable to get ahead of the family, which included two parents, an adult son and two minor children including an infant.

He and the adult son exchanged obscenities, and then the victim tried to let Iruegas go in front of them. But as he passed the car, Iruegas allegedly sprayed pepper spray into the open windows of the vehicle, affecting all five family members.

San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies stopped Iruegas and arrested him a short distance south on Seymour Street. Iruegas appeared with attorney David Anderson and pleaded not guilty to all charges on Tuesday. A trial date was set for Jan. 19, 2016, and a pretrial conference date for Dec. 18, 2015. He was released on his own recognizance.

By Bay City News

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