Roachdale man arrested following road rage incident
A 49-year-old Roachdale man was arrested Tuesday following a reported road rage incident Monday involving a local teenager.
Franklin Lee Haas was arrested on charges of battery resulting in bodily injury, strangulation, criminal mischief and aggressive driving.
At 6:09 p.m. Monday, Deputy Kyle Gibbons was dispatched to North Putnam High School to speak to the alleged victim, a Roachdale teenager, concernng an incident that had occurred on CR 1000 North near County Road 375 West.
The incident was described by Putnam County Dispatch as road rage that resulted in battery and possible strangulation. Involved was a white Ford Mustang with dark-colored racing stripes and the word "Boss" on the left front fender.
The vehicle depiction matched the description of a car owned and operated by Hass.
"I arrived at North Putnam to find the subject in a sensitive state. He was sobbing and was still visibly shaken form the incident," Deputy Gibbons stated in the probable cause affidavit. "I asked the subject if he believed his injuries required medical attention and he said 'no.'"
The alleged victim informed Gibbons that while driving on County Road 1000 North a white Ford Mustang erratically passed him on the roadway and then abruptly stopped in front of his vehicle.
The victim came to a complete stop, believing the Mustang to be an unmarked police vehicle.
The driver of the Mustang then opened his door and walked toward the vehicle. It was then that the teen gave a description of the driver, which was later confirmed with a recent photograph of Hass.
In a voluntary statement, the victim said the driver reached inside his driver's side window and immediately demanded he hand over his phone. When the teen refused, Haas reached into the vehicle and took the phone.
As the victim attempted to prevent Haas from taking the phone, the victim suffered multiple cuts to his hands.
However, after obtaining the phone, Haas removed the protective case and attempted to destroy it, causing visible damage to the phone itself, police said.
Haas failed to destroy the phone and gave it back to the victim, demanding that the phone battery be removed. When the teen declined, Haas reached into the vehicle and violently grabbed the teen by the throat and began to choke him.
"It wasn't until the victim was able to 'shove' Mr. Haas' hands away from his neck that Mr. Haas returned to his vehicle," said Gibbons in the probable cause affidavit. "Mr. Haas then drove up beside the victim's vehicle and threatened him, stating, 'I know where you live, you'd better not cross me again.'"
Gibbons spoke to the teen's father on school grounds and informed him that they would be notified of the apprehension of Haas. The boy's father declined medical attention in regard to his son.
Deputies were unable to locate Haas at his residence following the incident on July 30. However, on July 31 at approximately 4 p.m., Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Wallace located Haas walking down CR 375 West, just south of CR 1100 North.
Haas was placed under arrest and transported to Putnam County Jail.
Haas later refused to complete a voluntary statement, but advised Gibbons in the jail booking area that he did indeed cut off the teen on CR 1000 North near CR 375 West.
Haas refused to state any further details until he had the opportunity to speak to an attorney.
"Mr. Haas was verbally abusive to myself and the Putnam County Jail staff at the time of booking," Gibbons added, "refusing to answer even the basic of required booking questions."
Haas was found carrying a knife in his pocket at the time of incident. He also reportedly threatened officers during booking.