An armed road rage suspect was arrested after admittedly yelling “damn Yankee” at an offending fellow motorist during a traffic dispute.
James Martin Harris, 54, of Summerfield, was driving a gray Ford Super Duty pickup at about 10 a.m. Monday when he was leaving the Wawa at U.S. 301 and County Road 466 and attempting to merge into traffic, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. He said a vehicle refused to allow him to merge into traffic and enter the roadway.
Harris eventually entered southbound U.S. 301 and he said the other driver tried to cut him off. Harris said he gave the other driver “the finger.” He claimed the other driver tried to run him off the road. Harris told police he “got scared” and reached for a shotgun. He said he never pointed the gun at the other motorist and his passenger, but “only raised the shotgun in the air so the occupants in the other vehicle could see it,” the arrest report said.
The two men in the other car were able to provide “specific details about the weapons displayed by Harris,” which they said also included a pistol.
During a traffic stop at Circle K in Wildwood, a small Ruger LCP 380 in a holster was found on the floorboard of Harris’ truck. Police also found a shotgun and several shotgun shells in the vehicle.
Harris was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $10,000 bond.