WEST SPRINGFIELD — A road rage altercation on Rt. 5 near the Memorial Bridge led to the arrest of a West Springfield woman, Amber Dearborn-Clark, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, police said.
The incident occurred on Oct. 10 at around 4:15 p.m. when the West Springfield Police Department received an emergency call.
The caller, who was driving with her 3-year-old child, reported that a woman, later identified as Dearborn-Clark, had brandished a firearm at her after operating her vehicle recklessly.
The caller provided police with a description of the suspect’s vehicle and her physical appearance, along with the vehicle’s registration number, as she continued to follow the suspect on Rt. 5.
Responding officers located Dearborn-Clark’s vehicle in the vicinity of the Elm Street rotary and pulled her over on the 200 block of Westfield Street.
According to authorities, Dearborn-Clark was confrontational, refusing to follow officers’ instructions and reaching around her center console while attempting to close her car windows.
Assistance from plainclothes detectives was required at the scene to safely remove Dearborn-Clark from her vehicle.
During a search, officers found an unloaded and holstered semi-automatic P22 Walther pistol with an empty magazine inside the vehicle.
A case containing a loaded 10-round magazine was also discovered on top of the rear seat.
These items were confiscated as evidence.
Dearborn-Clark was taken into custody without further incident.
The West Springfield Police Department is continuing its investigation into the case.
