Man Pleads Not Guilty to Hitting Car With Ax in Alleged 'Road Rage' Confrontation

By City News Service, image via Shutterstock

A man accused of wielding an ax on the vehicle of another motorist in what authorities characterized as a road rage confrontation in Palm Desert pleaded not guilty today to a vandalism charge.

James Howard Scott, 51, of Santee in San Diego County, was initially booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, but prosecutors ultimately charged him with a single misdemeanor count of vandalism causing damage of more than $400.

The attack occurred about 9 a.m. May 5 at the intersection of Highway 111 and El Paseo Drive, where Scott allegedly got out of his car, struck the victim’s vehicle with the ax, then drove away.

The other driver followed the suspect and guided deputies to the parking lot of a Walmart store on Fred Waring Drive and Highway 111, where they arrested Scott, sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Hoyt said.

Scott, who is free on $5,000 bail. is due back at the Larson Justice Center on July 13 for a pretrial hearing.