BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — Two Jefferson County motorists are each facing a slew of charges stemming from an October 8 encounter along Interstate 80 and Allegheny Boulevard that police say escalated into a heated confrontation involving aggressive driving, yelling, and physical contact in front of a child.
Court documents indicate that Brookville Borough Police filed criminal charges against 35-year-old Cayla White, of DuBois, on October 22 in Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak’s office. She was arraigned at 10:30 a.m. the same day on the following charges in front of Judge Bazylak:
- Simple Assault (Misdemeanor 2, two counts)
- Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact (Summary)
- Harassment – Course of Conduct With No Legitimate Purpose (Summary)
- Harassment – Communicating Lewd, Threatening, etc. Language (Misdemeanor 3, two counts)
- Disorderly Conduct – Engage in Fighting (Misdemeanor 3)
- Disorderly Conduct – Obscene Language/Gesture (Summary)
- Disorderly Conduct – Hazardous/Physically Offensive Condition (Summary)
- Careless Driving (Summary)
- Reckless Driving (Summary)
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor 2, two counts)
- Operating Vehicle Without Valid Inspection (Summary)
Court documents indicate that Brookville Borough Police also filed charges against 57-year-old Kevin Elbridge Simmons, of Shippenville, on October 22 in Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak’s office. He was arraigned at 10:30 a.m. the same day on the following charges in front of Judge Bazylak:
- Simple Assault (Misdemeanor 2, two counts)
- Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact (Summary)
- Harassment – Follow in Public Place (Summary)
- Harassment – Course of Conduct With No Legitimate Purpose (Summary)
- Disorderly Conduct – Engage in Fighting (Misdemeanor 3)
- Disorderly Conduct – Hazardous/Physically Offensive Condition (Summary)
- Careless Driving (Summary)
- Reckless Driving (Summary)
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor 2, two counts)
- Improper Stop (Summary)
- Improper Entering Into Intersection (Summary)
- Obedience to Traffic-Control Devices (Summary)
- Violate Hazard Regulation (Summary)
According to the criminal complaint, Officer Jaime Minich observed the end of the incident after witnesses flagged him down near the TA intersection in Brookville. White was reportedly seen driving erratically around another vehicle before pulling into a nearby gas station. She was allegedly yelling and claimed a male driver had cut her off.
Police said White and Simmons had been engaged in a road rage exchange involving tailgating and brake-checking along Interstate 80 before exiting into Brookville. Simmons allegedly blocked White’s vehicle at a traffic light, at which point both got out and began arguing.
White reportedly told police that Simmons threatened to punch her and faked a punch before she responded by grabbing his lanyard and throwing it at him. Simmons, police said, told a similar story but accused White of screaming at him and pushing him into the back of his vehicle.
Simmons reportedly admitted to brake-checking White’s vehicle and acknowledged that he blocked her at the light. He denied making physical contact but admitted making a fist and said White had challenged him to call the police.
Police noted both parties had a juvenile in their vehicles at the time of the incident.
A preliminary hearing for both defendants is scheduled for December 11.
