‘Laurel and Hardy movie’ turns real as Chicago road rage incident escalates with axe throwing and car theft

According to CBS News Chicago, a road rage incident unfolded on Monday, December 15, 2025, near South Archer and South Meade avenues in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood, where witnesses say a minor collision between two drivers quickly spiraled into a major fight.

Tom Cunningham and Ewelina Siuta, both real estate agents who witnessed the episode and caught it on camera, later described their disbelief at what they saw. “This is insane. I thought it was a Laurel and Hardy movie, honestly. Unfortunately, it was real,” Cunningham told CBS News.

Weapon pulled after minor fender-bender

According to witness accounts, a pickup truck was tailgating a white car, causing a minor fender bender, setting off the confrontation. Siuta later said, “The pickup truck was tailgating the white car, and eventually the guy from the pickup truck gets out, pretends he has a gun, and starts screaming at the guy in the white car,” she told the news station.

The someone grabbed an axe

Cell phone video then captured the pickup driver approaching the white car’s driver’s side. In the midst of the confrontation, the pickup driver struck the white car with an object, and at one point, someone threw an axe during the dispute. As the situation intensified, the tailgated driver reversed into the pickup. He then got out of his vehicle and into the pickup truck.

After a physical struggle inside the truck, the white car driver sped away in the stolen vehicle, only to crash it shortly afterward. “And then,” he got back out, “and continued fighting the guy,” Suita said.

Chicago police responded to reports of criminal damage to vehicles and aggravated battery in the area. As of the latest public update, authorities have not disclosed any arrests in connection with the incident.

Chicago Police confirmed that the driver of the white car, who took the truck, was a 39-year-old man, and the driver of the pickup truck, who threw the axe or hatchet, was a 44-year-old man.

In some Chicago road rage cases, if both parties were seen as aggressors, the State’s Attorney may decline to prosecute if the parties refuse to testify against each other.

Neighborhood drivers described how traffic ground to a halt as the confrontation unfolded, with multiple vehicles — including a stopped school bus — caught in the disruption. Those who witnessed the episode emphasized the danger posed by such unpredictable confrontations.

The incident has since gone viral on social media, with residents and commuters expressing shock over how quickly a routine traffic dispute transformed into a violent encounter. Many have underscored broader concerns about road rage and public safety on city streets. Law enforcement officials continue to review available footage and witness statements as they work to determine what charges, if any, should be filed.