Yesterday morning at 7:30 a.m., Saugerties Police responded to a complaint of a reported road-rage incident that occurred on Route 212 in the town of Saugerties. A man reported to officers that another driver had pulled up alongside his vehicle screaming at the man about his driving and then used several racial slurs towards the victim.
The victim then reportedly followed the other driver to the parking lot of the Dunkin Donuts on Ulster Avenue in the Village of Saugerties, where the complainant reported that the other driver displayed a handgun and then threatened the victim.
The offender, identified as Douglas Melka, 30, of Purling, NY, was located on Livingston St. in the Village of Saugerties, where police found Melka in possession of three unregistered handguns, all loaded. According to police, the handguns lacked any identifying serial numbers as required by law. Melka was arrested on the following charges:
Menacing in the second degree
Criminal Possession of weapon in the second degree (three counts)(felonies)
He was processed at Saugerties Police Headquarters and then arraigned in the Village of Saugerties Justice Court and released.