An incident of extreme road rage in Van Buren County has led to a Paw Paw man facing multiple felony charges after allegedly attacking a woman with a chainsaw. On Oct. 5, Audacy reported that Leonard Yonkman, 68, became incensed when a woman pulled out in front of him while he was pulling a trailer with his pickup truck.
According to the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, the confrontation escalated when Yonkman followed the woman's vehicle and forced her off the road — nearly causing a crash. Once both parties were stopped, an argument ensued. "The saw wouldn't start, so he physically assaulted the female victim," Sheriff Dan Abbott described, as stated by WWMT. The assault included knocking a cell phone from the woman's hands, punching her in the stomach, and grabbing her throat.
Yonkman was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and malicious destruction of property. After posting bond, he was scheduled to reappear in court for a probable cause conference, per court documents obtained by News Channel 3. The incident, while severe, is not a common occurrence in the area, stated Sheriff Abbott.
Offering advice to potential road rage victims, Abbott said, "Never be aggressive with vehicles on the road like that," as reported by MLive. He emphasized keeping a safe distance, calling 911, and, if comfortable, following at a safe distance for law enforcement to intervene. Yonkman's court dates included a probable cause hearing on October 15 and a preliminary examination slated for October 21.
