A Millbury man faces assault charges after allegedly brandishing a knife on a North Grafton man during a road rage incident Monday on Route 20 near Shops Way in Northborough.
Donald Russell, 4 Elm Ct., Millbury, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on a person over 65, and disorderly conduct. According to a report, police say Russell followed a driver to the lights at the intersection of Shops Way and Southwest Cutoff after he was cut off on Route 20.
The victim, who is from North Grafton, said Russell pulled up alongside his car, made some gestures toward him and then brandished a long, silver knife at him and his passengers. The victim said he pulled onto Shops way because "he was not sure what the operator intended to do."
When Russell drove away, the victim wrote down his license plate number. Northborough officers showed the RMV photo of Russell as well as a picture of a black Mitsubishi Montero, which the victim identified positively.
The victim's wife, who was also interviewed by police, said Russell had followed her husband to the intersection of Shops Way and Southwest Cutoff, where he pulled up alongside the car and honked his horn. When she saw that Russell had a knife, she said she felt threatened and called 911.
When officers located Russell in Millbury, Russell gave a written statement that he was cut off at Northborough center, after which he pulled up next to the car, "called the operator a [profanity], stuck out his middle finger at him and drove off." When officers searched Russell's vehicle, they found a silver Sheffield knife.