Three men arrested after road rage on I-79 in North Strabane
Three men were arrested Wednesday night by state police on weapons charges after an alleged road rage incident on Interstate 79 north of the Canonsburg exit in North Strabane Township.
Arrested were Roger Williams, II, 30, of Clyde, N.C., the driver of a pickup truck that was allegedly involved, and passengers Bryan Pate, 26, and Christopher Friend, 35, both of Fayette, W.Va.
Troopers were called about 9:30 p.m. Williams and a man from Jefferson, Greene County, were reportedly hitting their vehicles’ brakes in front of each other and flashing high beams.
Williams allegedly removed a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun from a center console in the truck and showed it to the other driver. The Jefferson man told police a man, later identified as Williams, stuck the handgun out the front window of the truck.
The Jefferson man told police his vehicle passed Williams’ vehicle and stayed in front of it until it was stopped by troopers. Williams admitted to holding the gun outside of the truck window, but denied pointing it at the driver.
When police stopped the truck, two more .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handguns were found in the console. Pate, who was a front seat passenger, and Friend, who was a back seat passenger, each claimed ownership of one of those guns. Both told police they do not have valid licenses to carry the weapons.
All three were arraigned before District Judge Traci McDonald. Williams, who is charged with terroristic threats, carrying a firearm without a license, harassment and reckless driving, was placed in Washington County jail on a $10,000 percentage bond. Pate and Friend are each charged with carrying a firearm without a license. They are each in jail on a $5,000 percentage bond.
All three are scheduled for March 27 preliminary hearings before District Judge Jay Weller.