CHARLESTOWN, Md. — Road rage leads to a vehicle crashing into the back of an SUV as a trip to get fast food for three children backfires landing 41-year-old Jackson Forrester behind bars.
"We were coming home from Wendy's and another car hit the back of the van and from the back window---the trunk, we were hearing a lot of yelling," said Virgil Forrester, the suspect’s grandson.
What the five-year-old failed to mention was how the family had driven up behind what was described as a slow-moving, erratic vehicle carrying three or four adults that they passed on westbound Route 7 just outside of Charlestown on Saturday night.
"One of the men took their head out and started putting out their middle finger at us," said the driver’s daughter, Millie, who is 9 years old.
As the passed car raced up behind them with its high beams on, his children say Forrester pulled off to the side of the road to let them pass.
"We stopped there. My dad thought they could easily pass by, but no, they didn't pass by. They crashed right into us," Millie said. "They went around to the driver's side to grab my dad out of the car and started beating him up."
"They were hurting him,” Virgil said. “Like I just told you, they were choking him."
It is a detailed, but different version of the events, which landed Forrester behind bars with no bail on charges including Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
"The suspect and the victims got into an argument and it escalated and that's when the suspect allegedly pulled a knife out and stabbed the male victim in this case," said Ron Snyder of the Maryland State Police.
The case against Forrester includes allegations that he punched a woman in the face and stabbed a man six times with a utility knife.
"Two people were jumping on him,” Millie said. “He kept on begging, 'Let me get my kids. Let me get my kids, please.'"
While it appears the male victim required more than 50 stitches, the suspect's wife says her husband's actions were in self-defense.
"He only cut the guy who was choking him,” said Diane Forrester. “The other people that were involved, he didn't, and then as soon as he could get away, he jumped back in the Jeep and as soon as he took off, he called the cops. He called the cops on himself and told them what happened and what he did."
