Reno man jailed on felony charge after road rage incident involving gun
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Wed, 12/03/2014 - 1:06pm
A 45-year-old Reno man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly brandishing a firearm and aiming at a person during a road rage incident in the area of South Carson and Stewart streets, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.
Randy Lee Baker was booked on a felony charge, suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and a gross misdemeanor charge of aiming a firearm at a person. Bail was set at $7,500.
According to the arrest report, officers assigned to the Special Enforcement Team were dispatched after the reporting witness said the suspect who brandished a gun at him had fled the area in a blue Subaru sedan.
An officer responded to I-580 and Arrowhead entrance ramp where the car was spotted. Dispatch ran the plate which came back to Baker, noting that he possessed a concealed weapons permit for a handgun, the arrest report states.
Patrol officers followed the vehicle into Reno where the Nevada Highway Patrol conducted a felony traffic stop at I-580 and South Meadows Parkway exit. The driver was instructed to walk backward toward the NHP officers. Before he was placed into handcuffs, the man spontaneously said “It was self defense! It was self defense!” the arrest report states. He was transferred from NHP to Carson City deputies and taken to jail.
Deputies arrived at the scene in Reno and began an impound of the vehicle to be towed back to Carson City. During inventory of the vehicle, a black bag containing a black Sig Sauer P226 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun was discovered near the spare tire in the vehicle trunk. The handgun had an empty chamber, loaded with 12 rounds in a 12-round magazine, the arrest report states.
Officers spoke with the victim who said that he and Baker were involved in a road rage incident that had begun in Gardnerville. The victim said Baker had cut him off several times and when he had been driving or parked next to Baker at stop lights, he looked into the vehicle and saw Baker looking back at him, moving in an animated manner, the arrest report states.
He said this continued until they got to Carson City. The victim said he got out of his vehicle and walked over to the passenger side of Baker’s vehicle and placed his hand on the passenger window. He said Baker reached for a bag that was on his front passenger seat and withdrew a handgun and pointed it at him saying “do you want to eat this?” the arrest report states.
The victim said he raised his arms in surrender thinking he was going to die, the arrest report states. He said when Baker didn’t fire on him, he returned to his vehicle and dialed 911. He said he followed behind Baker until South Carson and Fairview Drive, where Baker turned eastbound on Fairview and the victim continued driving northbound on South Carson Street.
In a written statement and signed Miranda rights waiver, Baker said that he only grabbed the bag that contained the handgun, placed it on his lap and told the victim he would protect himself. A deputy said while in pre-booking and having waived his rights under Miranda, Baker made verbal statements that contradicted his written statements. According to a deputy report Baker agreed that he asked the victim “do you want to eat this?” and he also agreed he told the victim “I’ll blow your f***ing head off,” the arrest report states.
He was booked on a felony charge, assault with a deadly weapon and a gross misdemeanor charge of aiming a firearm at a person.
