A man has been jailed on $100,000 bond after firing three shots at a semi truck that he claims “almost made me die.”
The man, 28-year-old Denny Felt, fired the shots on Route 7 near Mineral, Washington on Monday, April 18th.
According to The Chronicle, the trucker told responding officers that the event began as a “road rage incident” in Pierce County when Felt attempted to pass the semi truck but fell behind. Felt then followed the truck into Lewis County, where he allegedly passed the truck “in a double yellow zone and then slammed on his brakes” while “flipping (the semi-truck driver) off.”
The trucker says he heard a gunshot while passing Pleasant Valley Road on State Route 7 and “heard two more gunshots and could see two muzzle flashes,” when he checked his mirrors. Police were then called to mile marker 13 on state Route 7 on reports of a red Volkswagen traveling behind a semi-truck, flashing its lights, making hand gestures and attempting to pass in a no passing zone.”
Once officers located Felt, he admitted to possessing a firearm, but appeared confused as to where it was located. Officers located the Smith & Wesson SD9 VE semi-automatic pistol “in open view on the front passenger seat,” along with a knife and a “glass smoking device.” The gun contained 13 rounds with one in the chamber.
When questioned about the incident, Felt told officers that “the semi-truck driver almost ‘made him die,” “he was upset at how the semi-truck driver was driving” and “he was trying to make the semi-truck stop.” Felt also told officers that he shot at the truck three times “to get the driver’s attention.” He later told officers that “no, I can guarantee you it wasn’t the best thing to do.” Felt also admitted to smoking a blunt several hours before his encounter with police.
Felt was booked into the Lewis County jail at 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19th and has since been charged with one count each of drive-by-shooting and reckless endangerment. He was jailed on a $100,000 bond “very troubling to the state” because the judge believes that Felt “presents a significant community safety risk.
The semi truck has since been taken to a mechanic shop and was searched for bullet holes, but the driver and mechanics were unable to find “any obvious impact locations.”