Police charge local man in alleged 'road rage' case

MONROE - A Spotswood man was arrested Aug. 15 after what police described as a road rage incident in which he twice rammed his vehicle into that of a Manalapan woman and later punched out her driver-side window.

Police charged Christopher Orten, 24, of Morris Avenue, with offenses including aggravated assault after arresting him at 3:49 p.m. at the entrance gate of Monroe's Whittingham community, where he had reportedly followed the alleged victim, a 39-year-old Manalapan woman.

Police said both vehicles had been traveling east on Cranbury Half Acre Road. After turning onto Union Valley Half Acre Road, the woman noticed that her SUV was being followed closely by a Ford Taurus driven by Orten.

At that time, it is alleged that Orten pulled alongside the passenger side of the SUV and began screaming at the woman. He then reportedly drove his car into the side of her SUV. Both vehicles then turned onto Prospect Plains Road, where Orten again rammed his vehicle into the side of the woman's, according to police.

The woman then turned into the entrance of the Whittingham community and stopped. According to police, Orten did the same, but got out and punched the woman's driver-side window, breaking it.

By that time, the woman had called 911 on her cell phone, and police arrived to find Orten walking around the SUV. When Officer Griffin Banos tried to handcuff the suspect, he allegedly resisted commands and swung his elbows.

Police, who were then able to restrain the suspect, said it was unclear why Orten had pursued the woman and her vehicle. The two did not know each other, police said, and the woman told police she did not recall doing anything on the road to anger the other motorist.

"Whether she may have cut him off, we don't know," Detective Sgt. Lawrence Linke said. "She has no clue [why this happened]."

Linke said Orten told police at the scene that the woman had hit his vehicle, but police determined that was untrue.

In addition to aggravated assault, Orten was charged with resisting arrest, criminal mischief and several motor vehicle summonses. He was lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, in lieu of $10,000 bail.