I saw the aftermath of this Tuesday night. Another case of a-hole vs. a-hole. Everybodys a tough guy nowadays. Phew.

Thursday, July 31, 2008
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A U.S. marshal was arrested in Jersey City Tuesday night on charges he pointed a gun at two men after they complained that he was blocking traffic while he argued with a woman, authorities said.

"I blew (the) horn and (the marshal) starts going bananas, cursing at me," said Noel Nazarlo, 31, a passenger in the car stuck behind the marshal's car, which was parked in the middle of Washburn Street near Baldwin Avenue. "He lost it. He shouldn't have pulled his gun out like that."

The marshal, Joshua Rodriguez, 29, of New York City, was arrested after the 9 p.m. incident. Rodriguez was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and criminal mischief, reports said.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Bill Dundon, a spokesman for the service, said last night that the office is aware of the incident and it is under review.

Nazarlo, who lives on Washburn Street, said he made a right onto Washburn from Oakland Avenue and found Rodriguez's car parked in the middle of the street and Rodriguez arguing with a woman behind the car. When Rodriguez started cursing at him, Nazarlo started cursing back.

"Then I saw him with his hand in a small bookbag like he's going to pull it out," Nazarlo said, adding that the marshal "pulled out a Glock" when Nazarlo got out of the car.

"He's talking like a tough guy because he had a gun. He didn't identify himself, no badge," Nazarlo continued. "I said 'Put the gun down and fight like a man.'"

The confrontation escalated further and Rodriguez punched the side view mirror of the car Nazarlo was in, knocking it off the car, reports said.

That's when the car's driver, whom police did not identify, "gets out and he throws it at him," said Nazarlo of his friend. "Then he (Rodriguez) jumps in his car, hits a parked car and takes off.

"We jump in the car and follow him to Seventh Street and Erie. He pulled over in front of the school on Seventh Street and starts arguing with (the woman) again."

Nazarlo said he went to the nearby East District Police Station and told police someone had just pulled a gun on him. He said about a dozen officers and three police cars responded and approached Rodriguez with guns drawn.

"(The marshal) was surprised," said Nazarlo, who added that it was only then that Rodriguez identified himself as a U.S. marshal. Nazarlo said Rodriguez told the cops the woman was also an employee of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Rodriguez denied that he pointed his weapon at Nazarlo and the driver and broke the car mirror, police said. Police took Rodriguez's gun and ammo as evidence, and took photos of the broken mirror and of both vehicles involved, reports said.