Tuesday, July
1, 2003
Staff report
Copyright
© 2003 Blethen
Maine Newspapers Inc.
WATERVILLE — A
20-year-old Levant man was ordered from his car on
Interstate 95 at gun point Sunday by a trooper of the
Maine State Police after other motorists reported he had
a handgun in the car.
The
gun turned out to be one of two plastic toy guns in the
vehicle, but the situation was initially a tense one,
the trooper said.
"It was a plastic
handgun, but I pulled the guy out of the car in the
appropriate manner for if it had been a real gun,"
Trooper Aaron Hayden said. "We don't take chances."
The situation
developed after motorists in a vehicle saw the man
holding what appeared to be a handgun while driving
north on I-95 south of Waterville, Hayden said.
Although the man
did not point the gun at them, the motorists called
police to report the sighting, Hayden said.
Hayden got into
position on I-95 near Exit 34 and pulled the man's car
over when he approached, then ordered him from the car
at gun point.
Trooper Bruce
Scott backed Hayden up on the call, and Waterville
police Sgt. Daniel Ames and Officer Ryan Reardon also
responded.
The car was
searched, and the two plastic guns were found.
The man said he
must have been moving one of the toys from the back seat
to the front when the motorists saw him, Hayden said.
"There's going to
be no charges," Hayden said, adding he spoke to the
District Attorney's office about the incident Monday
before making that determination.
Police did not
identify the Levant man because he was not charged.
(Note from
Tony: would they have taken this guy down like this
if someone saw a sword in his car, or a hammer?)
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