A traffic dispute near Fourth Avenue North and Raye Street in Seattle’s East Queen Anne neighborhood turned violent when one driver reportedly punched another through his car window, and the puncher ended up slashed by a knife the other man pulled to defend himself. Seattle police say the man who threw the punches now faces an assault charge, while the driver who used the blade was not arrested.
Honking Dispute Escalates Into a Physical Fight
According to KOMO News, the encounter began after the victim reported being honked at in traffic. The victim pulled over and parked his vehicle, and the other driver approached him while he sat inside the car, punching him several times in the face, per the station’s report. The victim armed himself with a knife for self-defense, and the man throwing punches was cut on the arm while reaching into the vehicle, the outlet reports.
Police officers who responded to the reported assault found that the physical fight had injured both people involved. The suspect suffered a laceration to the left bicep, while the victim sustained minor facial injuries, per the same account. Both men stayed at the scene rather than fleeing, and officers rendered aid before the fire department screened each of them for further medical needs.
Suspect Refused Hospital Transport, Was Released at Scene
The man accused of throwing the punches refused transport to a hospital despite his injury, the station notes. Officers interviewed him at the scene, and police ultimately released him there rather than making an arrest on the spot. Police say they will file an assault charge against him, according to the same report.
Under Washington law, whether that charge lands as a gross misdemeanor or a felony depends heavily on the specifics of the injuries and any weapon involved. State statute defines a basic physical assault without a weapon or substantial harm as Fourth-Degree Assault, a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail, while assault involving a deadly weapon or substantial bodily harm escalates to Second-Degree Assault, a Class B felony carrying up to 10 years in prison.
Self-Defense Law and Seattle’s Knife Restrictions Both in Play
Washington’s self-defense statute, RCW 9A.16.020, holds that the use of physical force is not unlawful when used by a person about to be injured to prevent an offense against them, provided the force used is not more than necessary. That proportionality standard is likely to be central to how prosecutors view the driver who pulled the knife against an unarmed attacker throwing punches into his car. A related statute, RCW 9A.16.110, also protects individuals from legal jeopardy when they defend themselves by reasonable means and requires the state to reimburse reasonable legal fees and lost wages if a defendant is acquitted on self-defense grounds…