Two Bellefontaine drivers were charged following an accident on the city’s south side Wednesday morning around 10 o’clock.
Bellefontaine Police were dispatched to the area of South Main Street and Augusta Lane regarding a two-vehicle crash involving two male operators.
Officers arrived and identified both drivers, Jacob Impson, 32, and Steven Freeman, 51. Impson’s emotions were highly animated. He cursed at officers and said he did not like them and that they were going to somehow frame him.
Freeman was calm and cooperative.
Authorities observed light front-end damage to Impson’s vehicle and very light rear-end damage to Freeman’s pick-up.
Initial interviews revealed both men did not know each other and Impson had rear-ended the pick-up as a result of “road rage.”
Officers learned the incident began further north in the area of Lake Avenue and South Main as both vehicles were southbound on South Main with Impson ahead of Freeman.
Impson told authorities Freeman was “riding his tail.” He added Freeman yelled at him and “flipped him off” as they traveled down Main Street.
Impson admitted he had purposely slowed down and applied his brakes out of frustration with Freeman tailgating him.
Freeman then passed Impson on the left in the center turn lane, just north of Augusta, accelerating ahead and merging in front of him. Freeman then slowed down causing Impson to hit him.
Officers decided to handle the incident as a police/criminal incident and not a crash based on the actions and driving of both Freeman and Impson.
They were each issued a summons for disorderly conduct.
