Driver Brandished a Gun at Me Today

Dieseljocky · August 17, 2012, 07:48 PM

Hello all. This is my first post here. New member. Just looking for some thoughts and advice.

While driving back to my office today, a driver almost ran into the back of my car on the interstate when he suddenly and aggresively changed lanes to take the same exit ramp as me.

I lifted a hand in a simple gesture of, "what are you doing?" while looking at him in the rear-view mirror. He immediately began to flip me off with both fingers while continuing to tailgate me down the exit ramp.

When the ramp split into two lanes (one for right turn, and one for left, at the light), he got in the left lane and aggressively waved a semi-auto pistol at me and began gesturing aggressively with the gun. He did not point the gun directly at me, but gave me a side-view with the gun pointed up to the roof of his car. His finger was on the trigger.

I immediately grabbed my cell phone out of my dash mount, and when he saw this, floored it to get away, but traffic ahead slowed him down and I was able to get his plate. He turned left and I turned right. I immediately called 911, and police units were dispatched to speak with me and also to find him.

When the officers spoke with him he claimed he only showed me fingers in the shape of a gun, never an actual weapon. I am former military, and know a weapon when I see one. The only fingers were firmly around the handgun. He also did not have the weapon on his person by the time the police found him, which is convenient for him.

The officer gave me his information and I have the option of going to the local magistrate and swearing out an arrest warrant against him. Apparently, this is not his first episode of this behavior.

So my dilemma at this point is whether or not to press charges. A part of me, the larger part, wants to, since he does not seem to have sufficient control of himself to carry a weapon, and I worry about the safety of other folks he may encounter in the future. The other part of me wonders if it is worth it to pursue criminal charges since it is his word against mine. Obviously, I would not have gone to the police had he only showed me fingers. I would have chalked it up to another idiot on the road, but this guy is a special idiot - and the potentially dangerous type.

Any thoughts? This is new territory for me.

Thank you!

allaroundhunter · August 17, 2012, 07:55 PM

I would press charges. If something as little as that can set him off, he should not have firearms... What would you do if you don't press charges and in a few months he does this to your wife or another family member? I am not saying anything will come from you pressing charges, but at least you will have done as much as you can do and can rest easy.

It is one thing to flip someone the bird, but you don't play with firearms. This guy has abused his rights, and has put you (and others) in danger in the process.

Sent from my HTC One X

Creeper · August 17, 2012, 08:00 PM

Hello Dieseljocky, and welcome to the Asylum.

I realize that it would be easier to let it be... but do the hard thing and press charges. It's this sort of person that, later on down the road, might actually go beyond gun waving to gun shooting.

Based on your comments, I don't think you are the kind of person that would allow an innocent person to be harmed if it was in your power to do so... this is your opportunity to possibly save someone's life.

Best wishes,
C

**Aguila Blanca** · August 17, 2012, 09:53 PM

Press charges.

ESPECIALLY as it isn't the first such incident. You never know -- it may be the next time or it may be the hundredth time, but one of these incidents will end with him pulling the trigger.

SamNavy · August 17, 2012, 10:05 PM

By swearing out a warrant against him, you have the opportunity to face him in court and possibly change his life. You're the good guy.

By not swearing out a warrant, you become his enabler. He'll do it again. Next time, he might not just wave, or the guy next to him might not reach for just his cel-phone. You could just as easily be saving HIS life as saving the life of an innocent who happens across his path.

BarryLee · August 17, 2012, 11:40 PM

Another thing to consider is the fact that he knows you called the Police on him, so if he sees you again how might he react? By pressing charges you might be able to avoid a future incident.

youngunz4life · August 17, 2012, 11:51 PM

Quote:

So my dilemma at this point is whether or not to press charges. A part of me, the larger part, wants to, since he does not seem to have sufficient control of himself to carry a weapon, and I worry about the safety of other folks he may encounter in the future. The other part of me wonders if it is worth it to pursue criminal charges since it is his word against mine. Obviously, I would not have gone to the police had he only showed me fingers. I would have chalked it up to another idiot on the road, but this guy is a special idiot - and the potentially dangerous type.

you do realize that the officer(s) gave you a viable option and not the run around, right? the arrest actually holds more weight if you speak to the magsitrate yourself to get the warrant then it does if the officer makes an arrest after hearing both stories. in other words, the ante is upped. The officer knew this, probably believed you, and he also probably didn't have enough to make the arrest himself.

maestro pistolero · August 18, 2012, 02:33 AM

Not that it matters, but I am curious, in what city and state did this occur? I agree, absolutely press charges. The life you save might even be his.

5.56RifleGuy · August 18, 2012, 02:51 AM

If I had to guess it would be MD, around the D.C. metro area.

Press charges.

geetarman · August 18, 2012, 07:09 AM

Press charges. If this guy reacts the way you said, and he has done it before, as stated by the police, you need to be aware he may also expend a lot of effort to intimidate you.

If the police did not find a gun on him or in his car, then he ditched it. That tells me he is no stranger to the inner workings of the court system and may have very well tossed a stolen gun.

Maybe it is time for you to CC.

That person threatens ALL of us. Apparently he has NOT learned how to play nice.

Good luck!

Falcon642 · August 18, 2012, 01:17 PM

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

jhenry · August 19, 2012, 07:53 AM

Agreed with all here. Press charges, you will rest easier knowing you stood up and did the right thing. Never back down from these people.

house · August 19, 2012, 08:34 AM

Press charges! Need scum like that off the streets.

publius42 · August 19, 2012, 11:05 AM

Press charges.

I'd view it as a necessary public service at this point, like serving jury duty. Yeah, kind of a hassle, but necessary.

thallub · August 19, 2012, 05:26 PM

Press charges ASAP.

Crankgrinder · August 19, 2012, 09:01 PM

If you did that youd be hung. Press charges asap!

scrubcedar · August 19, 2012, 09:13 PM

You're gonna have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror to shave every morning. It's gonna get tough if you do nothing.

noelf2 · August 20, 2012, 08:33 AM

Yep, press charges and come back to this thread in the future to let us know how it turned out.

wayneinFL · August 20, 2012, 12:44 PM

Another vote for pressing charges. I think it's unanimous. Let us know how it goes.

Mr. James · August 20, 2012, 01:50 PM

Welcome to The Firing Line, Dieseljockey, and excellent first post.

Press charges. This guy is a menace to others and, quite possibly, himself. He needs a good legal slap-down. Think how you would feel if you picked up the papers one day and saw his mug staring back at you, and you learned he was in the dock for shooting an innocent citizen.

The speed with which he disposed of the firearm also makes me wonder if he was the legal owner . . .

Musketeer · August 20, 2012, 02:04 PM

Press charges. EVERY rampage killer gives signals he is a nut and is almost universally ignored. This is your chance to make the system work.

maestro pistolero · August 20, 2012, 02:09 PM

What happened to the OP ?

jmortimer · August 20, 2012, 02:46 PM

He ran into his friend again while driving.

**Tom Servo** · August 20, 2012, 02:54 PM

Hopefully, our advice was heeded. We'll open another thread if there's any new information.

August 17, 2012, 07:48 PM	#1
Dieseljocky Junior Member Join Date: August 17, 2012 Posts: 1	Driver Brandished a Gun at Me Today Hello all. This is my first post here. New member. Just looking for some thoughts and advice. While driving back to my office today, a driver almost ran into the back of my car on the interstate when he suddenly and aggresively changed lanes to take the same exit ramp as me. I lifted a hand in a simple gesture of, "what are you doing?" while looking at him in the rear-view mirror. He immediately began to flip me off with both fingers while continuing to tailgate me down the exit ramp. When the ramp split into two lanes (one for right turn, and one for left, at the light), he got in the left lane and aggressively waved a semi-auto pistol at me and began gesturing aggressively with the gun. He did not point the gun directly at me, but gave me a side-view with the gun pointed up to the roof of his car. His finger was on the trigger. I immediately grabbed my cell phone out of my dash mount, and when he saw this, floored it to get away, but traffic ahead slowed him down and I was able to get his plate. He turned left and I turned right. I immediately called 911, and police units were dispatched to speak with me and also to find him. When the officers spoke with him he claimed he only showed me fingers in the shape of a gun, never an actual weapon. I am former military, and know a weapon when I see one. The only fingers were firmly around the handgun. He also did not have the weapon on his person by the time the police found him, which is convenient for him. The officer gave me his information and I have the option of going to the local magistrate and swearing out an arrest warrant against him. Apparently, this is not his first episode of this behavior. So my dilemma at this point is whether or not to press charges. A part of me, the larger part, wants to, since he does not seem to have sufficient control of himself to carry a weapon, and I worry about the safety of other folks he may encounter in the future. The other part of me wonders if it is worth it to pursue criminal charges since it is his word against mine. Obviously, I would not have gone to the police had he only showed me fingers. I would have chalked it up to another idiot on the road, but this guy is a special idiot - and the potentially dangerous type. Any thoughts? This is new territory for me. Thank you!

August 17, 2012, 07:55 PM	#2
allaroundhunter Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2012 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,670	I would press charges. If something as little as that can set him off, he should not have firearms... What would you do if you don't press charges and in a few months he does this to your wife or another family member? I am not saying anything will come from you pressing charges, but at least you will have done as much as you can do and can rest easy. It is one thing to flip someone the bird, but you don't play with firearms. This guy has abused his rights, and has put you (and others) in danger in the process. Sent from my HTC One X Last edited by allaroundhunter; August 17, 2012 at 08:00 PM.

August 17, 2012, 08:00 PM	#3
Creeper Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Woooooshington Posts: 1,797	Hello Dieseljocky, and welcome to the Asylum. I realize that it would be easier to let it be... but do the hard thing and press charges. It's this sort of person that, later on down the road, might actually go beyond gun waving to gun shooting. Based on your comments, I don't think you are the kind of person that would allow an innocent person to be harmed if it was in your power to do so... this is your opportunity to possibly save someone's life. Best wishes, C __________________ Shoulder Drive Nicholson Club

August 17, 2012, 11:40 PM	#6
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Another thing to consider is the fact that he knows you called the Police on him, so if he sees you again how might he react? By pressing charges you might be able to avoid a future incident. __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

August 18, 2012, 07:09 AM	#10
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	Press charges. If this guy reacts the way you said, and he has done it before, as stated by the police, you need to be aware he may also expend a lot of effort to intimidate you. If the police did not find a gun on him or in his car, then he ditched it. That tells me he is no stranger to the inner workings of the court system and may have very well tossed a stolen gun. Maybe it is time for you to CC. That person threatens ALL of us. Apparently he has NOT learned how to play nice. Good luck! __________________ Geetarman Carpe Cerveza

August 17, 2012, 09:53 PM	#4
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,458	Press charges. ESPECIALLY as it isn't the first such incident. You never know -- it may be the next time or it may be the hundredth time, but one of these incidents will end with him pulling the trigger.

August 17, 2012, 10:05 PM	#5
SamNavy Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 433	By swearing out a warrant against him, you have the opportunity to face him in court and possibly change his life. You're the good guy. By not swearing out a warrant, you become his enabler. He'll do it again. Next time, he might not just wave, or the guy next to him might not reach for just his cel-phone. You could just as easily be saving HIS life as saving the life of an innocent who happens across his path.

August 18, 2012, 02:33 AM	#8
maestro pistolero Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 2007 Posts: 2,153	Not that it matters, but I am curious, in what city and state did this occur? I agree, absolutely press charges. The life you save might even be his.

August 18, 2012, 02:51 AM	#9
5.56RifleGuy Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2010 Location: USA Posts: 1,212	If I had to guess it would be MD, around the D.C. metro area. Press charges.

August 18, 2012, 01:17 PM	#11
Falcon642 Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 2010 Posts: 316	"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

August 19, 2012, 07:53 AM	#12
jhenry Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Location: Ozarks Posts: 1,840	Agreed with all here. Press charges, you will rest easier knowing you stood up and did the right thing. Never back down from these people. __________________ "A Liberal is someone who doesn't care what you do, as long as it's mandatory". - Charles Krauthammer

August 19, 2012, 08:34 AM	#13
house Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1999 Location: AZ/CA Posts: 369	Press charges! Need scum like that off the streets.

August 19, 2012, 11:05 AM	#14
publius42 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2002 Posts: 1,936	Press charges. I'd view it as a necessary public service at this point, like serving jury duty. Yeah, kind of a hassle, but necessary.

August 19, 2012, 05:26 PM	#15
thallub Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2007 Location: South Western OK Posts: 3,112	Press charges ASAP.

August 19, 2012, 09:01 PM	#16
Crankgrinder Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 917	If you did that youd be hung. Press charges asap!

August 19, 2012, 09:13 PM	#17
scrubcedar Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2012 Location: Southwestern Colorado Posts: 507	You're gonna have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror to shave every morning. It's gonna get tough if you do nothing. __________________ Gaily bedight, A gallant knight In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of El Dorado

August 20, 2012, 08:33 AM	#18
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Yep, press charges and come back to this thread in the future to let us know how it turned out. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

August 20, 2012, 12:44 PM	#19
wayneinFL Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2004 Posts: 1,944	Another vote for pressing charges. I think it's unanimous. Let us know how it goes.

August 20, 2012, 01:50 PM	#20
Mr. James Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2001 Location: The Old Dominion Posts: 1,521	Welcome to The Firing Line, Dieseljockey, and excellent first post. Press charges. This guy is a menace to others and, quite possibly, himself. He needs a good legal slap-down. Think how you would feel if you picked up the papers one day and saw his mug staring back at you, and you learned he was in the dock for shooting an innocent citizen. The speed with which he disposed of the firearm also makes me wonder if he was the legal owner . . . __________________ "...A humble and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Ps. li "When law and morality contradict each other, the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense or losing his respect for the law." —Frederic Bastiat

August 20, 2012, 02:04 PM	#21
Musketeer Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2005 Posts: 3,733	Press charges. EVERY rampage killer gives signals he is a nut and is almost universally ignored. This is your chance to make the system work. __________________ "Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies." Thomas Jefferson "The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." Benjamin Franklin

August 20, 2012, 02:09 PM	#22
maestro pistolero Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 2007 Posts: 2,153	What happened to the OP ?

August 20, 2012, 02:46 PM	#23
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	He ran into his friend again while driving.

August 20, 2012, 02:54 PM	#24
Tom Servo Staff Join Date: September 27, 2008 Location: Foothills of the Appalachians Posts: 13,059	Hopefully, our advice was heeded. We'll open another thread if there's any new information. __________________ Sometimes it’s nice not to destroy the world for a change. --Randall Munroe

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search