Road Rage Leads to Arrest

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested Ernest Couvertier, 42, in connection with a road rage incident today, a Sheriff's Office press release said.

Deputies say just before noon, Couvertier was tailgating 56-year old Stephen Berliner as they drove east on Bee Ridge Road. According to the release, when the two came to McIntosh Road witnesses say Couvertier passed Berliner and stopped in traffic. Couvertier approached the victim's vehicle and lunged at him with a knife, cutting the left side of Berliner's face. The victim called 9-1-1 with the suspect's tag number as the man sped away, the release said.

Deputies identified the vehicle as belonging to Couvertier and located him at work a short time later. He was taken into custody and charged with aggravated battery.

The victim was treated for superficial injuries at the scene.