Driver Threatens Driver with Putter

At 5:19 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, after coming down the southbound 163 freeway into downtown San Diego, several cars were stopped at a red light on Tenth Avenue at A Street. Suddenly, a driver got out of his white Toyota sedan clutching a golf putter and walked up to the vehicle in front of his. Once at the other driver’s door, he shook the golf club in a threatening manner. Before the light changed to green, he walked back to his car

Overtaking him in the next block so I could get another video of him in his vehicle, I found myself behind the four-door BMW sedan with Tennessee plates that had angered the club-wielding driver. Then, the Toyota abruptly turned off at the next corner and was gone.

Pulling to the side of the BMW at the next red light, with our windows rolled down, I said I’d caught some of the incident on video. Dressed in a nice shirt and tie, Jonathan, the visiting driver, explained in a soft Southern accent that he had no idea what he’d done to offend the other guy.

After offering to e-mail him the two videos I’d taken, I apologized on behalf of Southern California drivers. “We’re not all like that, threatening people with golf clubs on the road. Maybe he’s from Northern California, down here for the PGA golf tournament which is in La Jolla this week.”

Click here for video of the incident.