Man arrested for threatening trucker with pistol for not helping him merge

A Montana man is facing serious charges for allegedly pointing a gun at a truck driver who didn’t help him merge onto the interstate.

The incident took place at 8 a.m. on November 28 on I-90 near Bozeman, Montana.

Police say that 27 year old motorist Cole Aaron Smith was attempting to merge onto I-90 but was having trouble doing so because of semi truck that was already on the interstate. After the semi truck passed and Smith was able to merge onto the interstate, Smith reportedly passed the truck and “flipped the bird” at the truck driver. Smith told police that the truck driver returned an obscene gesture. In response, Smith reportedly pulled out a pistol and threatened the truck driver with it.

The truck driver kept following Smith’s car and called the police, who soon located and arrested Smith.

When police searched Smith’s truck, the found a Kimber 1911, .45 caliber pistol with an empty chamber and eight rounds in the magazine.

Smith faces a felony charge for assault with a weapon.

The truck driver explained to police that he was unable to change lanes to allow Smith to merge.

Later, when police asked Smith why he had threatened the truck driver with a gun, he told them, “If you’re going to cause me to go into the other side of road, like, I have this and I’ll shoot your tire out if I want.”

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle also reports that Smith told police that he wanted the truck driver to know that he’s “not as tough as I am” and said that the trucker “can back off and obey the law just as much as anyone else.”