SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. - Township police arrested a Carbon County man on Monday after he allegedly approached with a handgun a man who had cut him off in traffic, threatening to shoot him.
Rodney Durant, 65, 163 Pawnee Trail, Albrightsville, told police that a Subaru Legacy driven by Kyle Williams cut off his Toyota Tundra before the driver slammed on his brakes, causing Mr. Durant's vehicle to rear-end the Legacy, police said.
Mr. Durant admitted to threatening Mr. Williams with his Glock handgun once both had pulled into Crown Beverage at 924 Northern Blvd., though the accounts by Mr. Williams and witnesses varied from Mr. Durant's story.
Mr. Williams told police he accidentally cut off Mr. Durant's truck when two lanes merged into one, and he had to pull into Crown Beverage because Mr. Durant was tailgating his car so closely.
Once he stopped his car and turned around, Mr. Williams saw Mr. Durant pull a handgun out of his center console, cock it with one hand and aim it at him while screaming, "I'm going to kill you (expletive)," police said. Mr. Williams ultimately ran to Crown Beverage to call police; Mr. Durant followed him there, asked another man where Mr. Williams went and said he would "blow that punk's head off."
When borough police arrived, they found Mr. Durant in the parking lot near his truck and took him into custody.
He was charged with two counts of simple assault and one count each of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and harassment.
Mr. Durant was arraigned Tuesday, is slated for a preliminary hearing Nov. 21 and is in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to court documents.
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