Carson City man jailed after allegedly brandishing gun at mother, children on freeway

A 21-year-old Carson City man was booked into jail Wednesday on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly brandishing a gun during a road rage incident on the I-580 freeway, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

Christian Johnson was arrested in the 2600 block of Baker Drive after deputies were able to track his vehicle’s license plate number to a home address.

According to the arrest report, the victim told deputies she was driving south on the Carson City freeway near College Parkway. She attempted to merge in the fast lane when a vehicle passed her at a high rate of speed. The driver, Johnson, allegedly got in front of her and “brake checked” her several times, nearly causing an accident.

The victim told deputies the driver then held a gun out of the window and waved it around while she was behind him. The victim had an eight-year-old and 10-year-old in the car with her. The 10-year-old saw the gun and said “Mom is he going to kill us?” the arrest report states.

The victim said she felt the life of her children and herself was in danger. She described the gun as having a wooden handle. When traffic stopped at Fairview, she told officers the suspect pulled alongside of her and began to scream. She said he did not produce a gun at that point but she believed he was going to shoot her, the arrest report states. A witness also provided a statement.

Deputies were dispatched in an attempt to locate the vehicle. Dispatch advised the suspect vehicle, a silver sedan was registered to Johnson who lived on Baker Drive. During the search for the vehicle, a deputy was approached by a subject in a vehicle who informed the officer that the suspect went south on Saliman Road. The deputy went south onto Colorado Street and observed a silver sedan traveling at a high rate of speed, turning south on Baker Drive.

The officer went south on Baker and from a distance observed the sedan park in the driveway. The deputy approached the sedan. The vehicle was unoccupied but still running with the driver door open. As the officer approached the vehicle, Johnson exited from the backyard of the residence, the arrest report states.

The officer told the man he was investigating a road rage incident with a gun. Johnson told the officer, “you can search my car but not my property” and then said “F**k you, get off my property, you can’t search my car or my property,” the arrest report states.

Other deputies arrived on scene and began to walk toward the man’s vehicle. The officer told the man to stay with him. Johnson then began to aggressively moved toward his car. He was detained and put in a patrol vehicle. The officer began to check the immediate area. Next to the house in plain sight in a container with a rake and broom a revolver was recovered in a brown leather holster with a wooden handle. The gun was unloaded, according to the arrest report.

The suspect’s mother arrived at the scene. A deputy showed her the gun and she informed the deputy that a relative had given him the weapon. Johnson then told his mother “Mom, I f**ked up,” the arrest report states. Bail: $20,000.

In other arrests: A 45-year-old Carson City woman was booked into jail Wednesday, 12:40 a.m. on a misdemeanor warrant, violation of a suspended sentence. Bail: $1,000.

— A 27-year-old Carson City man was booked into jail Wednesday, 5:50 p.m. on a misdemeanor failure to appear in traffic court warrant. Bail: $840.

— A 21-year-old Anderson, Calif., man was booked into jail Wednesday, 11 p.m. on a gross misdemeanor warrant issued out of Washoe County. Bail: $2,500.

— A 44-year-old transient was arrested Wednesday, 7:06 p.m. in the 500 block of East William Street on misdemeanor suspicion of petit larceny. The suspect allegedly attempted to steal two cans of beer and deodorant from a grocery store. Bail: $352.

— A 31-year-old Carson City woman was arrested Wednesday, 11:14 p.m. in the area of Fifth and Saliman on a misdemeanor warrant, failure to appear in traffic court. Bail: $155.

— A 49-year-old transient was arrested Thursday, 4:18 a.m. in the 600 block of South Stewart Street on a misdemeanor warrant for contempt of court. Bail: $1,235.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.