Crime & Safety
Man Allegedly Pulls Machete During Road Rage, His Teenaged Kids in the Car
A man allegedly tried to pass another car, pulled over, and got a machete out of his trunk.
WORCESTER, MA—A man is facing charges for allegedly pulling a machete on another driver during an incident of road rage.
An officer at Burncoat High School was flagged down around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, by a motorist that said a man had a machete on nearby Rexhame Road. The officer called for assistance, as school had just released their students and headed to Rexhame Road.
The officer arrived at the intersection of Burncoat Street and Rexhame Road where he found several people gathered in the area, said police. The officer was told that a man with a machete had just left the area in a white Nissan Murano. The officer continued on Rexhame Road and quickly came upon the suspect vehicle parked in front of a red Ford Fusion. Both drivers were out of the vehicles, and the officer walked up to them. The Fusion's driver told the officer that the driver of the Nissan had pulled a machete on him.
The driver of the white Nissan, identified as Aldo Rivera, 41, Cobblestone Lane, Worcester, denied threatening the driver with the weapon but did state that the machete was in his vehicle. Officers found the weapon under the passenger floor mat where his 13-year-old daughter sat. Also in the suspect vehicle was his 17-year-old son.
The driver of the Fusion said he was driving north on Burncoat Street when Rivera trailed him, and as he approached Burncoat High, he saw Rivera attempt to pass him. The school was in the process of releasing their students which caused traffic to slow down. At this time there were many cars parked on the side of the road along with numerous students crossing the Street, said police.
The two exchanged hand gestures and profanities when Rivera started to tailgate as they drove by the high school. The victim stated that he pulled over to allow Rivera to pass, but Rivera drove past the victim and then pulled to the side of the road. At this time Rivera exited his vehicle, went to his trunk and retrieved a machete, said police. Rivera then walked towards the victim and threatened him with the weapon. Rivera then punched the victim on the side of his face.
Rivera was placed under arrest and charged with Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (machete), Assault and Battery and Threatening to Commit a Crime (murder). Mr. Rivera will be arraigned on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Worcester District County Courthouse.
