Fairfield Man Charged with Waving Machete During Road Rage Incident

A Fairfield man is accused of screaming and waving a machete at another driver during a road rage incident Monday night on Route 15 in North Haven.

The New Haven Register reports Richard Walzak, 43, was arrested after State Police responded to a call from a man who said he was being followed by someone in a white SUV who was screaming at him and waving a large machete out of the window.

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The incident began on 15 South near Exit 63 in North Haven and the man was followed down to Exit 59 in New Haven when Walzak exited onto Whalley Avenue (Route 69), according to the Register.

NBC Connecticut reports State Police identified Walzak as the driver and received his consent to search his vehicle where they found a large machete behind the passenger-side seat.

Walzak told the troopers he wasn’t involved in a road-rage incident, or any highway incident, and refused to provide a sworn written statement, according to NBC.

The Register reports he also refused to provide a statement as to how the other driver knew he had a machete in his vehicle.

Walzak was charged with second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace and is due in court Nov. 9.

Richard Walzak / Connecticut State Police photo