Flowery Branch man repeatedly punched teenager during road rage incident, police say
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A 57-year-old Flowery Branch man has been arrested for repeatedly punching an 18-year-old driver and threatening to sexually assault his "girlfriend," who was actually the victim's 15-year-old sister, during a road rage incident.
The man beat the high school senior until he was unconscious on Feb. 28, according to Gwinnett County Police Department.
A GCPD officer met with the 18-year-old driver near Buford Dam Road and Old Shadburn Ferry Road.
The driver told the officer that the incident began on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and R.H. Smith Boulevard.
Flowery Branch road rage driver beats teen unconscious, threatens to sexually assault little sister, police say
According to the teen, he exchanged hand gestures with a man driving a blue truck. The man then began following him, even when he turned onto Little Mill Road and Buford Dam Road.
The victim said the man tried to run him off the road before he pulled into a private driveway on Buford Dam Road near Marina Way. The teenager told the officer the man pulled in behind him, got out of his truck, and began punching him repeatedly in the face through the window.
"Eventually that assault ended up outside of the vehicle. But inside the car witnessing all of this was the victim's 15-year-old sister," said Gwinnett County Police Sgt. Michele Pihera.
The man, later identified as Duane Andrew Sudderth, also reportedly threatened to sexually assault the teen's "girlfriend" in the front seat, who was actually his sister. The teenager says he lost consciousness and when he woke up, he called the police.
Duane Sudderth
Over the next few days, the North Precinct Community Response Team used the Flock Safety System to track down the owner of the truck. They made contact with him at his home on March 3 and arrested him for aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, cruelty to children in the first degree, cruelty to children in the third degree, entering auto, and aggressive driving.
Police said this was not Sudderth's first road rage incident.
He was arrested in 2017 for aggressive driving and serious injury by motor vehicle.
He is currently being held in the Gwinnett County Jail without bond.