Suspect: Road Rage Fight Was Two-Sided

UPDATE 2:14 P.M.: Church officials told WTOP Thursday that Librado Cena has been placed on administrative leave from his position as the director of religious education at Saint Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax.

The Rev. David A. Whitestone told WTOP everyone at the church is "shocked and saddened" by what has happened.

"All of us are struggling to come to terms with this disturbing event," Whitestone says.

Whitestone says the entire church is praying for O'Brien's family members and everyone affected.

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The man charged in connection with the death of a Fairfax City resident following a road-rage dispute in front of Best Buy last month is a religious educator in Fairfax who told police the altercation was two-sided, not a simple assault on his part.

Librado "Lee" Cena, 57, of Fairfax, the director of religious education at Saint Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax, has been released on bail ahead of a July 3 hearing for aggravated malicious wounding in connection with the death of 63.

The Office of the Medical Examiner reported earlier this week O'Brien died as a result of injuries he sustained in the April 16 incident and not because of a pre-existing condition, ruling it a homicide.

The Commonwealth Attorney's Office is reviewing the charges and may escalate them before the July 3 hearing.

Cena was still listed on the school's web site as the director of education Thursday, but employees said he was "not available" at St. Leo's on Thursday. St. Leo's employees would not confirm to Patch whether he was still working in his role at the church.

In interviews with police, Cena alleged both men threw punches after exchanging horn blasts on the road, according to The Washington Post.

The paper reported Cena said O'Brien honked at him at several red lights as they drove on Pickett Road near the Fair City Mall that day, possibly because he didn't respond fast enough when the lights turned green.

O'Brien allegedly pulled into his destination, the Best Buy store at 9652 Main St., parked his car and got out.

Cena followed him there. A surveillance video shows him striking O'Brien from behind in the head, prompting O'Brien to defend himself, the Post reported.

A witness broke up the fight and Cena got in his vehicle and drove off, the Post reported. Two hours after reporting the incident to police,  O'Brien called paramedics from home to report he was in distress with a powerful headache; he was unconscious and unresponsive when rescue crews arrived, according to the Post.

O'Brien died 10 days later, on April 26.

Family members of O'Brien reached by Patch declined to comment on the incident, citing the ongoing investigation.

See also:

• Man Dies After Alleged Road Rage Incident in Fairfax City
• Death of Victim in Best Buy Assault Ruled a Homicide
• Best Buy Assault Victim Identified As William Hays O'Brien