PASADENA — Police arrested a man on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon early Friday following what was believed to be an incident of road rage on Pasadena streets, officials said.
Daniel Cruz Maldonado, 22, of Los Angeles, were arrested shortly after midnight at Eaton Drive and Del Vina Street, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said. A woman who was with Maldonado was initially arrested as well, but released from custody Friday afternoon.
The incident began when a 20-year-old Pasadena man who was riding his motorcycle north the 110 Freeway noticed he was being followed by a silver Nissan Altima, Clawson said.
The motorcyclist exited the freeway and tried to evade the car, which came up behind him and struck his motorcycle on an unknown street in Pasadena, the lieutenant said. The rider managed to jump off his motorcycle before it crashed to the street, then got back on the motorcycle and continued trying o get away from the Nissan, Clawson said.
Police said the motorcyclist continued riding to Easton Drive and Del Vina Street, where he parked the motorcycle, believing that he had lost the Nissan.
“The suspect vehicle approached,” Clawson said. “A fight ensued. During the fight, (Maldonado) was able to produce a piece of lumber. He struck the victim across the face, causing a laceration to the left side of face.” The injured man declined to be taken to a hospital.
Police arrived and arrested Maldonado and the woman, who the motorcyclist said was his passenger, according to Clawson. Both Maldonado and the woman told police she had been driving the car.
The man and woman told police the motorcycle had almost collided with them, so they decided to followed it.
According to county booking records, Maldonado was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.