By Jackson Bell, Los Angeles Times
NORTHWEST GLENDALE, Calif. — A road rage incident went from bad to worse after a La Crescenta man found out that the two men he challenged were undercover Glendale police officers, authorities said Wednesday.
Vardan Karapetyan, 20, was arrested Tuesday evening on suspicion of making criminal threats and resisting arrest after “being extremely combative and verbally abusive as he was restrained in handcuffs and ultimately detained,” according to police reports.
Officers H. Bouzikian and M. Severo, dressed in plain clothes, were driving in an unmarked car south on North Brand Boulevard when they turned into the right lane to let a 1991 Toyota Tercel driven by Karapetyan pass them, police said.
When they pulled up to Karapetyan at the Broadway stop light, he allegedly began yelling insults, making obscene gestures and telling them to pull over and fight him, police said. He was also accused of throwing a lighted cigarette at the officers, according to reports. The officers continued to follow Karapetyan, who at another stop light asked them in a confrontational manner if they wanted to see his gun, police said. They followed Karapetyan to an alley near Central and Wilson avenues, where they got out of their car and told him they were police officers.
Karapetyan continued to yell at the officers and challenge them to a fight, police said. The officers, fearful Karapetyan might have a gun, drew their weapons and told him to surrender, police said.
Three back-up officers arrived to assist Bouzikian and Severo, who detained him after a struggle. The only weapon found in the car was a box cutter Karapetyan claimed he used for his job.