New Jersey residents have plenty to say after a local Republican Party chairman was arrested following an alleged road rage incident involving a handgun. Joseph LaBarbera, chairman of the Sussex County Republican Committee, now faces several charges over the confrontation, which reportedly unfolded while another driver’s young child was inside the vehicle.
According to Raw Story, the incident unfolded on Millbrook Road in Stillwater Township on Saturday, September 12, when New Jersey State Police responded to reports of a road rage dispute involving a Mercedes-Benz SUV and a Kia SUV. The driver of the Kia reportedly told police that the Mercedes driver brandished a handgun, pointed it at them, and then fled the scene.
Police later identified the Mercedes driver as LaBarbera and located him at a restaurant on County Road 521 in Stillwater Township. He was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, aggravated assault by pointing a firearm, unjustified display of a firearm, and endangering the welfare of a child.
Neither the Kia driver nor the child was injured during the alleged confrontation. However, court documents reportedly reveal that the child was just 18 months old, with the driver claiming his daughter was directly in the line of fire when LaBarbera allegedly pointed the handgun at him.
Newly reported court documents have since shed more light on what allegedly happened before the confrontation. According to the arrest affidavit, the Kia driver claimed LaBarbera had been tailgating him before he pulled over to let the Mercedes pass. However, LaBarbera allegedly pulled over as well, leading to an argument between the two men.
LaBarbera reportedly gave police a different account of the confrontation, claiming he had been following the Kia from two or three car lengths behind and stopped after seeing the vehicle pulled over with its hazard lights on. He alleged that the other driver threatened to shoot him, prompting him to unholster his own firearm. Police reportedly did not find a gun inside the Kia.
New Jersey Residents React to LaBarbera’s Arrest
New Jersey residents were quick to weigh in on the arrest, with many expressing disbelief while others responded with sarcasm. “Sussex County Republicans acting [expletive]? Well I for one am SHOCKED at such out of character behavior!!!! /s,” one Reddit user joked. Another said, “This story popped up in my email from the Patch. I knew before I even read the article what party he belonged to.” A third was left with just one question: “What in the unholy hell?”
Others turned their attention to politics, with one commenter sarcastically asking, “So… How long before he’s promoted to an administrative position at the White House? Kinda sorta not kidding….” Meanwhile, another New Jersey resident focused on the alleged road rage itself, writing, “I recently invested in a dash camera. I should start a YouTube channel with a collection of idiotic/road raging behaviors of New Jersey drivers.”
The allegations have therefore sparked plenty of discussion among New Jersey residents, particularly given LaBarbera’s prominent position in local politics. However, with LaBarbera disputing the other driver’s account and the case still ongoing, it will ultimately be up to the legal process to determine what happened during the roadside confrontation.
