An off-duty Edmonds police officer has been arrested following a road rage incident in Lynnwood after she allegedly brandished a firearm at another driver. The officer, identified by KING 5 as 35-year-old Melinda Leen, faces allegations of second-degree assault. Driving her Subaru on the afternoon of Monday, it has yet to be officially charged against Leen, but she holds a position of authority that bears scrutiny.
The incident, precipitating the arrest, occurred just after 1:00 P.M. near the intersection of 196th Avenue Southwest and 44th Avenue West. It came about when Leen cut off another driver while exiting Interstate 5— an action that nearly resulted in a collision. The other driver, in a state of confusion, raised both hands, which was mimicked by Leen before she allegedly reached under either her chair or her side door, grabbed a pistol, and put it up to the window, pointing it at the victim. The victim recounted feeling trapped, surrounded by traffic, unable to move, and resigning to a feeling of "well this is it."
The Edmonds Police Department, where Leen serves as an officer, has responded by placing her on administrative leave. Chief Michelle Bennett confirmed the pending internal investigation. While no formal charges have been filed yet, Leen's conduct is under serious examination, as detailed in the KING 5 report.
There are also implications for Leen's role beyond the police department. As KOMO News reports, she is an active member of the National Guard, whose spokesperson has stated they will take any appropriate action after looking into the matter. Leen was booked into the Snohomish County jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
