Long Island man driving with 2-year-old accused in vicious road rage assault

EAST MEADOW (WABC) -- State police say a Long Island man driving with his 2-year-old child was arrested in connection with a road rage assault.

It allegedly happened Sunday afternoon on the Meadowbrook State Parkway in East Meadow.

Rouson Hinton, of Uniondale, allegedly forced the other motorist off the road before stepping out of his Lexus, leaving his child in the car alone, punching the victim in the face and fleeing the scene.

According to court papers, the victim told police that he had accidentally cut off the other car when Hinton began driving erratically, cut him off and stopped dead in his tracks in the far left hand lane.

"The operator was in the driver's seat with the window opened, attempting to apologize, when Mr. Hinton got out of his vehicle and began punching him," state police Major Joseph Tripolo said. "The victim suffered a fractured mandible, a fractured nose and some busted bones in his orbital cheek bone area."

Witnesses who stopped to help provided police with the suspect's license plate, and Hinton was arrested as he pulled into his driveway. The 28-year-old is charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

A family friend tells Eyewitness News that the victim will have surgery Tuesday.

Hinton's family was there as he went before a judge in Hempstead Monday morning, but they declined to comment.