Man Gets Year in Jail for Knife Threat

A man who threatened another man with a knife during a traffic dispute in Woodland Hills was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail, according to the city attorney’s office.

Stephen McGarry of North Hollywood did not injure anyone in the angry confrontation that occurred near the intersection of Avenue San Luis at Shoup Avenue on Aug. 19, according to Deputy City Atty. Jeff Harkavy, who handled the case.

Thomas Vergo of Woodland Hills was driving west on Avenue San Luis when he saw McGarry’s car heading toward him in the middle of the road at a high speed, according to Harkavy.

Vergo pulled over, yelled at McGarry to slow down and drove on, Harkavy said.

McGarry made a U-turn and chased Vergo until the two men stopped and got out of their cars, according to Harkavy.

McGarry pulled a 6-inch knife from his waistband and lunged at Vergo before fleeing the scene, Harkavy said. Vergo wrote down McGarry’s license plate number and reported him to police, the deputy city attorney said.