Ride-Share Driver Pointed A Gun During Road Rage Argument, Secaucus Police Say

SECAUCUS, NJ — A man who worked as a ride-share driver pulled out a handgun in a road rage incident Thursday morning in Secaucus, said police.

Secaucus Police went to Linden Thursday to make the arrest of Alberto M. Balcazer, 51, who lives in that town.

The initial road rage clash happened at 6:42 a.m. Thursday on Seaview Drive, and it involved two cars, one driven by Balcazer as a ride-share driver. A dispute happened when one of the cars changed lanes in front to the other, said police.

After that incident, Balcazer dropped off his client at a business located on the 500 block of Meadowlands Parkway. Coincidentally, the other driver involved in the road rage incident worked at the same business.

While in the parking lot, Balcazer pulled his vehicle in front of the other car and stopped. The two were engaging in a verbal dispute when Balcazer displayed what was described as a large caliber semi-automatic handgun, said Secaucus Police. It was reported that he pointed the handgun at the victim and then filed the scene.

The Secaucus Police Department Patrol and Detective Divisions worked collaboratively to identify Balcazer’s vehicle. SPD detectives when to his home in Linden and set up a surveillance until his arrival back home. During a search of his residence, detectives seized a .50 caliber Desert Eagle Magnum handgun along with hollow-point ammunition. Balcazer was placed under arrest and charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, two counts of illegal handgun possession and possession of hollow-point ammunition. He was lodged in the Hudson County Jail.

"Although nobody was injured in this instance, I will caution the public that a simple road rage incident can turn deadly in a matter of seconds,” Chief Dennis Miller said. “I praise the investigative work of my detectives and patrol personnel, which directly led to the swift arrest and seizure of a firearm in this case. When you commit a crime in Secaucus we will come for you!"

Miller declined to say which ride-share company Balcazer worked for, saying the actions were his alone and not of his employer.