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Man charged after road rage incident on Route 20
Tuesday, March 4, 2008


Richard A. Waffle

GUILDERLAND — The driver of an oversized vehicle escort van faces several charges after state police say he was involved in a road rage incident this morning on Route 20.
Troopers said Richard A. Waffle, 44, of Spencertown, was involved in a minor property damage accident on Route 20 about 6:50 a.m. while driving the escort van. A short time after the accident, troopers said both vehicles stopped along Route 20, Waffle approached the driver of the other vehicle, John Lopez, 25, of Schenectady, who had also gotten out of his vehicle, and pointed a loaded 9-millimeter handgun at Lopez.
Troopers said Lopez fled the scene and called 911, and troopers stopped Waffle as he was driving west on Interstate 88 in the town of Princetown.
Waffle was charged with second-degree menacing, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and driving while ability impaired by drugs. He was arraigned in Guilderland Town Court and sent to the Albany County jail on $20,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to court at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.