AUBURNDALE, Fla. — A Florida man is accused of pointing a firearm at an off-duty Florida Highway Patrol trooper while driving next to him in traffic, authorities said.
Matthew Timothy Reiter, 32, of Auburndale, was arrested Sunday and charged with three counts of unlawful display of a weapon and three counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, WFLA-TV reported.
According to the highway patrol, the off-duty trooper was in his personal vehicle with his family at about 3:54 p.m. EDT Sunday and was caught in slow-moving traffic along the Polk Parkway, located about 36 miles east of Tampa, WTVT reported.
Reiter, driving a red Chevrolet pickup, allegedly became “agitated” and focused his attention on the trooper in his vehicle, according to the television station.
As traffic cleared, Reiter allegedly drove next to the trooper’s vehicle, changing speeds, yelling and using hand gestures, WFTS-TV reported.
The highway patrol said after the trooper attempted to ignore Reiter, the suspect pulled out a firearm, displaying it before pointing it at the trooper, according to WFLA.
The trooper reported Reiter to the highway patrol, but responding troopers were unable to initially locate him, WTVT reported.
Troopers later went to Reiter’s address in Auburndale, where they allegedly found five different firearms in the vehicle, WTSP-TV reported.
Reiter was then arrested, authorities said.
