The woman slowed her 2002 Honda Civic while approaching a construction zone on the eastbound highway when it was struck by a 1995 Honda Accord driven by Alkhabir Tate, 22, of Newark around 10:20 p.m., Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this afternoon.
She got out to inspect the damage — and so did Tate, who Ehrenberg said “immediately became hostile and then began to walk away.”
At that point, a 56-year-old construction worker from Pomona, NY intervened and was punched in the head by Tate at least three times, the chief said.
Responding Paramus police officers attempted to subdue a combative Tate, who struck one of them and then kicked out the window of one of their cruisers, Ehrenberg said.
Officers found an open bottle of Fireball whiskey in his vehicle, the chief added.
Tate, who refused to provide a breath sample, was charged with assault, assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, reckless driving, DWI and criminal mischief.
He remained held on $25,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail.
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