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Man accused of ramming car ahead of him in fast food drive-through lane
Yelled obscenities at driver ahead of him for taking too long
By GREG MAKI
Staff Writer
January 27, 2005
EASTON — Easton police Tuesday arrested an Easton man accused of ramming his car into the van in front of him in the McDonald’s drive-through lane because its occupants were taking too long to place their order. Joseph Richard Howard, 40, of 806 Front Lane, is charged with five counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, malicious destruction of property under $500, reckless driving, negligent driving, following too closely and leaving the scene of an attended property damage vehicle accident.
Pfc. Eric Kellner responded to the McDonald’s on U.S. Route 50 about 9:10 p.m. Tuesday after police received a report of a hit and run accident. There he found two women, the mothers of three children — a 3-year-old boy and two 4-year-old girls.
According to charging papers, the women told Kellner they pulled into the drive-through lane with the children in a 1999 Dodge Caravan. A teal Mazda Protege pulled in behind them. They described the driver as a white male, 40 to 50 years old, with light-colored hair and glasses.
As they placed their order, the man began to yell obscenities at them and rev his car’s engine.
When the van drove to the pick-up window, the man followed and continued to yell at them. He drove his vehicle forward and hit the van twice with his car.
One of the women got out of the van and exchanged words with the man. He then drove away.
Kellner noticed minor damage to the van’s rear bumper and door, according to charging papers. The women gave Kellner the Mazda’s tag number.
Police checked the tag, which came back to a Trappe address, charging papers said.
Deputies from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the address and met with a woman there. She told them the car belonged to her mother, Deborah Maxey. She said the description of the man matched Maxey’s boyfriend, Joseph Howard, according to charging papers.
Police then responded to Howard’s home at 806 Front Lane in Easton. They found Howard and the Mazda there, charging papers stated. Officers noticed damage to the front of the car. The front tag had been folded up to avoid identification, charging papers said.
One of the women in the van identified Howard as the Mazda’s driver, according to charging papers. Howard told police he had been involved in an incident at McDonald’s earlier in the day.
A district court commissioner released Howard on $3,000 unsecured bond. His trial is scheduled for April 27 in Talbot County District Court.
According to district court records, a judge granted Howard probation before judgment in 1994 on a charge of possessing drug paraphernalia. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled dangerous substance and writing a bad check under $300. In 2002, he faced six counts of theft under $500, and one count each of theft over $500 and theft scheme over $500, but those charges were dismissed, court records show.
The Star
Yelled obscenities at driver ahead of him for taking too long
By GREG MAKI
Staff Writer
January 27, 2005
EASTON — Easton police Tuesday arrested an Easton man accused of ramming his car into the van in front of him in the McDonald’s drive-through lane because its occupants were taking too long to place their order. Joseph Richard Howard, 40, of 806 Front Lane, is charged with five counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, malicious destruction of property under $500, reckless driving, negligent driving, following too closely and leaving the scene of an attended property damage vehicle accident.
Pfc. Eric Kellner responded to the McDonald’s on U.S. Route 50 about 9:10 p.m. Tuesday after police received a report of a hit and run accident. There he found two women, the mothers of three children — a 3-year-old boy and two 4-year-old girls.
According to charging papers, the women told Kellner they pulled into the drive-through lane with the children in a 1999 Dodge Caravan. A teal Mazda Protege pulled in behind them. They described the driver as a white male, 40 to 50 years old, with light-colored hair and glasses.
As they placed their order, the man began to yell obscenities at them and rev his car’s engine.
When the van drove to the pick-up window, the man followed and continued to yell at them. He drove his vehicle forward and hit the van twice with his car.
One of the women got out of the van and exchanged words with the man. He then drove away.
Kellner noticed minor damage to the van’s rear bumper and door, according to charging papers. The women gave Kellner the Mazda’s tag number.
Police checked the tag, which came back to a Trappe address, charging papers said.
Deputies from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the address and met with a woman there. She told them the car belonged to her mother, Deborah Maxey. She said the description of the man matched Maxey’s boyfriend, Joseph Howard, according to charging papers.
Police then responded to Howard’s home at 806 Front Lane in Easton. They found Howard and the Mazda there, charging papers stated. Officers noticed damage to the front of the car. The front tag had been folded up to avoid identification, charging papers said.
One of the women in the van identified Howard as the Mazda’s driver, according to charging papers. Howard told police he had been involved in an incident at McDonald’s earlier in the day.
A district court commissioner released Howard on $3,000 unsecured bond. His trial is scheduled for April 27 in Talbot County District Court.
According to district court records, a judge granted Howard probation before judgment in 1994 on a charge of possessing drug paraphernalia. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled dangerous substance and writing a bad check under $300. In 2002, he faced six counts of theft under $500, and one count each of theft over $500 and theft scheme over $500, but those charges were dismissed, court records show.
The Star
