Man charged in Johnson County road rage incident, accused of striking vehicle with hammer
A 32-year-old Overland Park man faces two felony counts for allegedly striking another driver’s vehicle with a hammer during a road rage incident this week in Merriam, according to court documents.
The Johnson County District Attorney’s office on Thursday charged Nicklaus D. Florea with aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.
The charges stem from what Merriam police described as a road rage incident shortly after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday on West 75th Street near Interstate 35 that police said was captured on camera.
Florea allegedly exited his vehicle and struck another vehicle with a hammer, causing damage, a spokesman for the Merriam Police Deartment said. Florea then got back into his vehicle and started to leave.
By that time, the victim had gotten out of their vehicle. Florea allegedly bumped the victim and then drove away, police said. The victim was not injured.
The charges allege that Florea could have inflicted great bodily harm with a vehicle and that he caused in excess of $1,000 but less than $25,000 in damage to the victim’s property.
Florea was arrested Wednesday evening and booked into the Johnson County jail. He was released on $5,000 bond Thursday afternoon.
This story was originally published August 31, 2023 at 4:19 PM.
