Men Pointed Rifle In Rt. 202 Road Rage Incident: Prosecutor

BRANCHBURG, NJ — Three men were charged in connection with a road rage incident where an assault rifle was pointed at another driver.

Robert Figueroa, 19 of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, Axel Rafael Colon Merly, 18 of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Miguel Angel Otero Journet, 19 of Bear, Delaware were all charged, announced Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson, Chief of County Detectives John Fodor and Readington Township Chief of Police Joseph Greco.

On Sunday, Feb. 28 at around 4 p.m. police were notified about a car driving north into Branchburg that was involved in a road rage incident on Route 202 in Readington Township where a weapon was allegedly pointed at another driver, said Robertson.

Branchburg Police Officer Michael Lester spotted the car and stopped it on Route 202 near Milltown Road in Bridgewater.

Figueroa, Merly, and Journet were ordered out of the car by Branchburg and Bridgewater police. During the stop, police could see an AR-15 type rifle along with a high-capacity magazine in the front passenger seat area, said Robertson.

Police searched the car and found a Sig Sauer AR-15 rifle along with a high-capacity 30-round magazine which was loaded with 5.56 mm ammunition, said police.

All three were charged in Somerset County with second-degree unlawful possession of an assault firearm. The three men were also charged in Hunterdon County with second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, third-degree terroristic threats, and fourth-degree possession of a high-capacity magazine.

Figueroa, Merly, and Otero Journet were taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a bail detention hearing.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact the Branchburg Township Police Department at 908-526-3830 or via the STOPit app. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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