Arrest made in stabbing death of innocent bystander after road rage dispute in Morris Heights

Police have made an arrest in the stabbing death of a bystander of a road rage dispute in Morris Heights.

Clement Boateng, 36, was arrested on Thursday and charged with murder in the second degree, manslaughter in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, police said.

Ronald Gomez-Mesa, 29, was killed when he was stabbed in the chest near a day care in Morris Heights.

Two drivers got into a fender bender -- but what should have been easily resolved instead ended in bloodshed.

Police say a woman, one of the drivers involved in the crash, got out of her car armed with a bat before calling the suspect, who police believe is her boyfriend.

The suspect, now known to be the 36-year-old, arrived, and as bystanders watched, he knocked the phone out of the hand of one of them, who appeared to be recording the incident.

Police say Boateng shoved another bystander to the ground who happened to be a friend of the victim.

Gomez-Mesa had been seated but then got involved and landed a few punches. The altercation continued to a side street where the victim was fatally stabbed in the chest.

Gomez-Mesa was discovered outside Rainbow Day Care and pronounced dead at the hospital.

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