A recognizable figure in Sussex County, New Jersey, was arrested last weekend following a tense confrontation.
According to New Jersey State Police, Joseph LaBarbera, chairman of the Sussex County Republican Committee, was arrested Sep. 12 following a “road rage incident” involving another driver.
LaBarbera allegedly pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the other driver before leaving the scene.
After Sussex County police located the chairman at a nearby restaurant, he was detained and charged with second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, fourth-degree aggravated assault by pointing a firearm, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth-degree unjustified display of a firearm.
Leaders Speak Out
Following the 50-year-old’s arrest, New Jersey State Senator Parker Space, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, and Assemblyman Michael Inganamort, alongside five Republican Sussex County commissioners, released a statement to the New Jersey Globe calling for LaBarbera to “step aside.”
“For the good of the party, we believe the chairman should focus on this serious legal and personal matter, step aside, and allow the vice chair to temporarily lead the party and let the county committee make the best long-term decision,” the statement reads. The vice chairman is Billy Marotta.
LaBarbera was released from Morris County Jail Sep. 14 after pleading not guilty.
LaBarbera was elected as chairman of the Sussex County Republican Committee in 2023 following Jerry Scanlan’s resignation.
According to The Sussex GOP, the 50-year-old first became active in the county’s political space in 2019.
Road Rage in New Jersey
Compared to other states, driver confrontations are not exactly infrequent in New Jersey.
According to a report from ConsumerAffairs, the state ranks fifth in road rage incidents nationwide.
1.51 per 100,000 residents in New Jersey encounter traffic violations, the third-highest across the states. Additionally, crashes that involve aggressive or careless driving made up 45% of “fatal crashes” in New Jersey, also the third-most.
Meanwhile, general deaths resulting from aggressive or careless driving occurred across 3.22 per 100,000 people — the tenth-highest. This accounted for 46% of all “traffic fatalities” statewide.
Interestingly, only 0.06 per 100,000 traffic incidents see gun violence, which is the eighth-least nationwide.
Yet across America, around 66% of traffic fatalities involve road rage, so avoiding it can be life-saving.
Avoiding Road Rage
Driving in traffic or sharing the road with people who seem to have never driven before can be annoying, but staying calm is important. It will keep you more focused on the road, and anger never made time go by faster.
Keep in mind that almost everyone on the road has the same goal: to get to their destination safely. Very few drivers are actively trying to frustrate others.
Maybe you don’t struggle with road rage, but while driving, you encounter someone who does. If this happens, don’t escalate the situation and simply go on your way.
It can be tempting to respond similarly, but unfortunately, you don’t know the other driver and how they may respond. Or, maybe they’re simply having a bad day and didn’t mean to take it out on you.