State police have arrested a man who is accused of pulling what appeared to be a gun on another driver during a road rage incident on Route 8 in Thomaston.
State police said they responded to Route 8, near exit 41, around 6:46 p.m. on Tuesday to meet with someone who reported that there had just been a road rage incident in the area of exit 38 in Thomaston.
The driver told police that they had gotten onto Route 8 South from the Interstate 84 West exit 20 off-ramp when a red Chevrolet Silverado unsafely merged into their lane and “repeatedly brake-checked them.”
The driver reported swerving to avoid a crash, then the driver in the Chevy brake-checked them, slowed down next to them in the left lane, rolled down the passenger-side window, pointed what looked like a firearm in their direction and tried to force them off the road, police said.
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When the victim got around the Chevy and tried to pass, the driver of the Chevy again rolled down the driver's side window and pointed the firearm at them, state police said.
The driver of the Chevy then rolled the window up and got off the highway at exit 39, the victim said.
The victim then pulled over, called 911 and gave police the information from the Chevy’s license plate.
Police connected the pickup to a home in Torrington and a resident told them that a family member who lives in Winchester is the primary driver.
State police then went to the Winchester address and said they found the pickup in the driveway and arrested the resident.
Troopers seized a pepper ball gun and charged the suspect with reckless driving, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, breach of peace in the second degree and threatening in the first degree-displaying a firearm.
He was released on a $50,000 bond and is due in Torrington Superior Court on Oct. 28.
