A road rage incident in New York City involving a pickup truck driver and a Mercedes sedan driver led to charges of attempted murder. The incident began in Queens and ended on the Upper East Side when Antal Lakatos, 28, intentionally struck 38-year-old Shaker Ahmad’s pickup on the Queensboro Bridge around 6:50 p.m. After the vehicles stopped, Lakatos opened his trunk, causing Ahmad to speed off. However, Lakatos chased after him, rear-ending the pickup and causing it to hit a light pole. Patrol officers from the 19th Precinct nearby heard the crash and intervened.
When the officers arrived, they found Ahmad stabbing Lakatos multiple times as he sat in his car. Ahmad was arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Lakatos, taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center in stable condition, was charged with attempted assault. Ahmad had previously served time in prison for second-degree assault between Feb. 2016 and Aug. 2018, according to State Corrections records. Lakatos had prior run-ins with the law for driving with a suspended license in June 2019 and grand larceny auto in Queens about two months ago.
The road rage incident escalated from a collision on the Queensboro Bridge to a violent confrontation on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The chase between the two drivers ended with Lakatos being stabbed by Ahmad multiple times. The presence of nearby patrol officers at a Smashburger restaurant helped in quickly apprehending Ahmad and providing aid to the injured Lakatos. The incident highlights the dangers of road rage and the importance of maintaining control and composure while driving.
The charges of attempted murder, assault, and possession of a weapon against Ahmad, as well as the attempted assault charge against Lakatos, reflect the severity of the altercation that took place. The injuries sustained by Lakatos from the stabbing emphasize the dangers of violent confrontations that can result from road rage incidents. The criminal records of both individuals, with Ahmad’s prior assault conviction and Lakatos’ past legal troubles related to driving offenses, underline their history of involvement in unlawful activities.
The actions of both drivers during the incident, including intentional collisions, chases, and violent confrontations, demonstrate the volatile nature of road rage incidents and the risks they pose to public safety. The rapid response of law enforcement officers to the scene prevented further harm and resulted in the arrest of Ahmad and the medical treatment of Lakatos. The road rage incident serves as a reminder of the importance of staying calm and avoiding confrontations while on the road to prevent such violent altercations from occurring in the future.
