Former Marine charged in road rage incident

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (WSVN) -- A former Marine is in trouble with the law after a violent road rage incident, and one of his alleged victims is speaking out.

The alleged incident occurred in the area of 5000 N. State Road 7 at around 2:30 p.m., Monday.

Two vehicles were waiting for the traffic light to change, and when it did, the driver in front was distracted and did not notice the light change. "The light turned green, my boss was on the phone, didn't see the light turn green, so he missed the light," said one of the victims, Juan Uribe.

The driver behind him, identified as Fernando Rodrigues, became enraged. "He went to the side of us. He was on my side, the passenger's side, and he pointed a gun at both of us," Uribe said. "He pointed the gun at my boss, he hit him in the face with the gun."

Rodrigues, a veteran Marine who has served three tours of duty in Iraq, is accused of using his skills as an MMA fighter to brutally beat the victims. Uribe said, "He hit me right here in the eye. When I went [down], the next thing I saw was his knee coming for my face. He hit me with the knee, and after that, that's when I went on the floor and I covered my body, and he was kicking me, kneeing me."

Uribe said the suspect hit his boss "in the face with the gun. He got stitches right here."

In terms of his injuries, Uribe said, "I have fractured bones in my eye socket. I don't think people like that should be out. I do [think he's dangerous.]"

The former soldier was arrested. During his bond court appearance, the judge said, "For the purposes of this hearing that your hands and feet are considered, for probable cause, to be deadly weapons."

Rodrigues and his girlfriend own and operate an American Top Team franchise in Aventura, where fighters develop mixed martial arts skills to compete in MMA fights. "American Top Team is one of the top mixed martial arts training centers in the country. In the world, actually," the judge said.

Due to Rodrigues' MMA background, he has been charged with using deadly weapons, including his hands and feet, in the attack. Rodrigues is also charged with one count of burglary of a conveyance, two counts of burglary with assault or battery and two counts of assault with a firearm. He is being held without bond.

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