State troopers say a man driving a tractor-trailer hauling a load of kerosene rammed a car that wouldn't move out of his way Thursday afternoon eastbound on the Thruway near Utica.

After the car pulled off the road, the truck driver pulled over as well. Police say the truck driver walked up to the car and started choking and hitting the driver of the car.

Inside the car were a woman in her 40s and two children, ages 12 and 5.

Troopers say the truck driver, Ronald J. Constable, Jr., of Earlton, N.Y., complained that the car was going 60 mph in the passing lane. Police said Constable then started tailgating the car.

The driver of the car -- Carlos Perez, 21, of Geneva - slowed down even more.

Constable then rammed the back of the car "a couple of times," said Inv. James Hunt. After Perez pulled over, Constable did, too, and attacked Perez.

Traffic started to back up on the Thruway and a passing trooper thought there had been an accident. Instead, he discovered the altercation between Constable and Perez.

Constable was charged with felony reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment. He was arraigned in the town of Herkimer Court and held in the Herkimer County jail when he failed to post bail. He is due to appear in Schuyler Town Court on Tuesday.