A Boonton Township resident is facing an aggravated assault charge following an apparent road rage incident that transpired on Thursday in Parsippany. The altercation reportedly involved a motorcyclist and a 76-year-old crossing guard who had halted traffic to facilitate students crossing Route 202.
The incident unfolded around 3:10 p.m. near the junction of Littleton Road and Brooklawn Drive in Parsippany. Police were dispatched to the scene in response to a report of a motor vehicle collision. They were informed that a motorcyclist had come to a stop to allow children to cross the street. It was then that the suspect, identified as John R. Connelly, 36, pulled up behind the motorcycle and exited his pickup truck.
"At this time, it was reported that he began to physically assault the motorcycle driver," revealed Parsippany Sgt. Brian Conover in a statement. "According to reports, the 76-year-old crossing guard attempted to intervene and was allegedly shoved to the ground by the defendant."
The section of Route 202 on Littleton Road is often congested during school drop-off and pickup hours, boasting several guarded crossings for students of Brooklawn Middle School and Parsippany Hills High School.
Connelly persisted in assaulting the motorcycle operator until other concerned motorists stepped in. He subsequently fled the scene in his truck. Shortly thereafter, the Morris Plains Police Department apprehended and detained Connelly.
Connelly faces charges of aggravated assault and simple assault, as outlined in a summons complaint, and was released on his own recognizance. Attempts to reach him by phone on Monday proved unsuccessful.
The police report did not specify whether the victims sustained injuries or received medical attention.