Such encounters are rare in Poland, police said.
By DENISE DICK
POLAND — Road rage, morning traffic and ax handles don't mix.
Police are investigating an episode that occurred shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday at U.S. Route 224 and Riverside Drive.
Village Police Chief Russell Beatty Jr. said police received a call reporting two men fighting in the street. When they arrived, both men had left the scene, but police spoke to witnesses.
One of the men returned to the scene and the other called police from a business at U.S. Route 224 and South Avenue and police interviewed him there.
No charges have been filed.
Police account
Here's what police said happened:
A car stopped for the traffic light at the intersection. A man, 42, of Lowellville, who was in a sport-utility vehicle behind the car, got out of his vehicle at the light and began pounding on the car because he thought it had been traveling too slowly.
Another man, 46, of the village, driving a pickup truck, attempted to go around the fight and the SUV operator started beating on the pickup, too, the chief said.
The man in the pickup truck got out of his vehicle, armed with an ax handle, to ask the SUV operator what his problem was, Beatty said, referring to statements made to police.
The SUV driver then went after the pickup driver, who hit the SUV driver in the side with the ax handle.
The SUV driver somehow got the ax handle away from the pickup driver and beat him with it, Beatty said.
Both men refused medical treatment.
Such encounters are rare in the village.
"It's unusual," the chief said. "We usually don't see this type of thing."
If someone beats on your car in traffic, Beatty doesn't advise getting out and confronting them.
"Stay in your car, get out of the way and call police," he said.