A Portage man has been charged with a felony count of pointing a firearm at another person after he pointed a loaded gun at another driver and her family on U.S. 30 in Union Township, according to police.
Deputies with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department were called around 9:25 a.m. Sunday to County Road 600 West and U.S. 30 for a report of a man pointing a gun at a woman and her family in their car, according to a report.
The woman told police she was driving westbound on U.S. 30 in the left lane when she noticed a black car very close behind her but she was unable to move into the right lane because of another vehicle.
When she went to move into the right lane, she realized the black car was doing the same to pass her and she went back into the left lane so the two vehicles didn’t collide. The woman told police that “when the black passenger car began to pass her in the left lane, she observed a male driving the vehicle yelling at her while pointing a pistol at her and her vehicle.”
After the black car pulled ahead of the woman, she told police she pulled into the right lane and the other driver appeared to slow down until the two cars were next to each other. The woman stated that “she then observed the male once again pointing the firearm at her. (She) decided to get away from the male and had her daughter, who also witnessed the incident call 911.”
The woman was in her car with her daughter and grandchildren.
Damon Thomas, 20, of Portage, who was charged with a Level 6 felony, told police while he was westbound on U.S. 30, he was behind the woman. He told police that when he went to pass the other car, the other driver cut him off to the point he had to apply his brakes.
“(Thomas) stated when he braked his pistol fell to the floorboard of his vehicle. (Thomas) stated while he drives his vehicle, he always carries his pistol on his lap,” according to the report.
Thomas told police that he retrieved the pistol and was next to the woman “and was yelling at
them while he had his pistol in his hand. (Thomas) stated he talks with his hands and realized he had his pistol in his hands while yelling at them.” Thomas also denied pulling up to the other driver a second time and pointing his pistol at her.
Police retrieved a Glock 19 from Thomas’ car and transported him to Porter County Jail. Thomas, who has since booked out of jail, has an initial hearing on Dec. 18 before Magistrate Ana Osan, according to online court records.