Charges allege Christmas Eve road rage in St. Paul

Last update: January 5, 2009 - 8:55 PM

A Vadnais Heights man became so enraged while driving in St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood on Christmas Eve that he beat another motorist's car with a club and tried to climb through the driver's side window to get at the man, prosecutors say.

David F. Siluk, 52, has been charged in Ramsey County District Court with making terroristic threats, a felony.

According to the criminal complaint, police were called to Ford Parkway and Cretin Avenue about 5 p.m. Dec. 24 on a report of a man beating another with a crowbar.

The victim, identified only as S.S.L., told officers that he and Siluk had been driving on Ford Parkway. When they stopped at a red light, Siluk got out of his car, walked to S.S.L.'s and began hitting it with a footlong club, the complaint said. Siluk then tried to climb into the car, all the while hitting S.S.L. with the club, the complaint said.

Siluk was arrested and told officers that the other driver had cut him off in traffic and then slowed down in front of him. Siluk also said the other driver tried to throw a bottle into his window.

PAT PHEIFER