WATERVILLE, Maine — A road rage incident on Kennedy Memorial Drive on Wednesday ended with a Fairfield man going to jail after he allegedly threatened the other driver with a gun, according to police.
The sequence of events leading to the arrest of Joseph Ciampa, 25, of Fairfield, started at 9 a.m. when another motorist called police stating Ciampa had cut them off on Kennedy Memorial Drive, according to Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey.
Massey said the driver who was cut off followed Ciampa to a stoplight where some gestures were exchanged before both drivers continued onto Airport Road and pulled into a parking lot.
The motorist who was cut off then walked up to Ciampa’s door intending to discuss the issue, but Massey said he noticed Ciampa was loading a revolver, and Ciampa subsequently pointed his weapon at the other motorist and said, “dude, I got a gun, I could shoot you,” Massey explained.
The other motorist backed off and Ciampa left and parked up the street in another parking lot, and the other motorist followed with the intent of blocking him in until police arrived, Massey said. But Ciampa exited his vehicle with his hands behind his back and walked toward the other man’s car, Ciampa left after words were exchanged, the chief said.
Police finally arrived and spoke to the victim, and shortly after Ciampa came back down the road and police quickly placed him under arrest, Massey said. Ciampa also had a warrant for failing to pay fines out of Belfast.
A search of Ciampa’s vehicle turned up a revolver, four folding knives and a Taser, Massey said. Ciampa denied making threats but he was booked on two counts of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, a Class C felony, and brought to Kennebec County Jail.
