A driver was detained Wednesday night after allegedly intentionally hitting a motorcyclist in an apparent act of “road rage” in Chandler.
Gustavo Elias was arrested after a crash near Alma School and Ray Road that left a motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries, court records show.
A witness reportedly told Chandler police they saw a car swerve right and hit the motorcyclist with the car’s front bumper.
During a police interview, Elias allegedly revealed that earlier that night, he drank 12 beers before driving his stepson and his friend to a sleepover, court records show.
After getting into the vehicle, the driver allegedly recognized a motorcyclist who lived in his apartment building. Elias, 29, claimed he felt the motorcyclist had previously “taunted him” by revving the motorcycle’s engine.
Elias claimed he became “angry” at the motorcyclist when stopped at a red light, causing the car to accelerate and hit the motorcyclist.
A teenage passenger in the car told police there was a “confrontation” between the driver and the motorcyclist before the crash, records show.
The driver was booked into the Maricopa County Jail.
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