Motorist Sentenced in Road Rage Assault

A man who punched a 72-year-old motorist in the face during a road rage dust-up was sentenced to 45 days in jail or 30 days on a Caltrans crew--and ordered to apologize publicly to the victim.

Los Angeles Municipal Judge Ramona G. See also placed Louis John Mraz, 51, on three years’ summary probation. She ordered him to write a letter of apology to the victim and place it in the Mt. Washington Newsletter.

Both men live in that community, where the incident occurred April 28.

See also ordered Mraz to undergo anger management counseling and to stay at least 100 yards from the victim. Mraz is also banned from possessing a dangerous weapon for three years, and any firearm for 10 years.

Mraz was found guilty of misdemeanor counts of battery and vandalism, after a three-day trial downtown.

Deputy City Atty. Lara Drino Schwartz said Mraz and the victim were traveling in opposite directions on one-lane Crane Boulevard when the victim tried to pull his truck to the side of the road to let Mraz pass.

The victim said his vehicle stalled, and as he was trying to restart it, Mraz shouted at him to move, then got out of his car and walked up to the truck, Schwartz said.

He reached through the driver’s side window, removed the victim’s glasses and punched him in the nose, then threw the glasses back into the cab and drove off, Schwartz said.