EVERETT — What began with a minivan passing a Ford pickup truck on an I-5 shoulder in Everett on Wednesday morning led to punches and then arrests.

A Washington State Patrol trooper described it as a case of road rage.

Troopers arrested three King County men who were in the pickup truck for investigation of fourth-degree assault.

The driver of the minivan, who had his 6-year-old son in the vehicle, was cited for reckless driving and reckless endangerment. He’s 39 and from Everett.

Witnesses told troopers that the confrontation began when the northbound minivan passed the pickup truck on the left shoulder of I-5. The driver of the pickup — a Renton man, 54 — then tried to pass the minivan but the other driver swerved in front of him multiple times, trooper Mark Francis said.

When the minivan driver stopped at the 41st Street exit, he reportedly was pulled from his vehicle and the people from the pickup started assaulting him, Francis said.

“One witness said he saw all three of them” assault the minivan driver, Francis said.

The minivan driver was examined at the scene, but declined medical attention.

He was cited for reckless endangerment “because he was putting his son at risk” with his driving, Francis said.

Besides being booked for assault, the pickup driver also was cited for reckless driving. He was towing a flatbed trailer at the time.

“It was 100 percent avoidable,” Francis said. “Why couldn’t they just let it go?”

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.