Driver stabbed by bicyclist in Des Plaines road rage incident, police say

A man driving through downtown Des Plaines repeatedly was stabbed by a bicyclist Friday afternoon after an argument turned violent, police said.

The confrontation occurred about 12:15 p.m. on the 1500 block of Miner Street.

The stabbing victim, a 53-year-old Skokie man, had been driving west on Miner when he encountered the bicyclist riding on the road, police said.

They exchanged words, and that continued after the driver and the bicyclist stopped next to each other, police said.

The feud escalated when the bike rider started punching the driver through an open window, police said.

As the confrontation continued, the bike rider pulled a knife from a pocket and stabbed the driver several times in the left arm, police said.

Police were called and found the Skokie man standing in the roadway. Officers stopped the bleeding using a tourniquet and bandages, police Cmdr. Matt Bowler said.

The man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

The bicyclist fled before officers arrived. He was described as a man in his 30s wearing a gray tank top, khaki shorts and a backpack.

Police believe the attack was isolated. Bowler described the violence as an act of road rage.

Anyone with information about the stabbing can call police at (847) 391-5400.