Pistol brandished in road rage incident

Road rage could have turned deadly over the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, a 911 call reported a road rage incident in Mountain Grove at 1:41 p.m. in which the driver, Christian Martin, 27, of Lebanon, allegedly brandished a pistol. The parties were driving on US highway 60 west of Mountain Grove near the intersection with 95. 

According to Sergeant Thomas Young of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop G, the victim exited the highway immediately and reported the incident to Mountain Grove Police Department. The vehicle continued to travel eastbound.

MSHP alerted all area law enforcement to the fleeing vehicle. Officer Jim Hedlesten of the Willow Springs Police Department successfully stopped the vehicle on US Highway 63 just south of the 60/63 split, confirms WSPD Chief Wes Ellison. The arrest record shows the time of the stop to be 2:37 p.m.

Troop T.L. Sullivan made contact with the vehicle, and Corporal J.D. Piccinino investigated the scene. They located the device reported in the road rage incident, which was actually a BB pistol. There was, however, a loaded shotgun in the car. 

Martin was taken into custody and placed on a 24-hold in Wright County Jail. A passenger, Ashley Bohannon, 25, of Lebanon, was also arrested on a warrant for a traffic violation. She was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and will be held at Wright County Jail, according to the arrest report.

Martin is expected to face charges of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and careless and imprudent driving. Formal charges have not been filed as of press time.