Was coming home from the range and a shirtless hispanic male began tailgating me from the main road my range is off, at the top of a mountain a few miles before it becomes a steep downgrade. I slow to put my truck in 2nd gear so the brakes wouldn't heat up on the steep downgrade (one lane each way). Shirtless hispanic male (hereby referred to as SHM) continues to tailgate, honking horn. As we begin to go down the downgrade, SHM enters oncoming traffic to pass me, reenters right-of-way lane, and brake checks me to a stop. Gets out of his vehicle, visibly agitated. Begins punching my window and yelling at me. I reach to the passenger seat. SHM begins apologizing and says he is a mechanic that stopped to make sure my car was okay. I verbalize to deescalate and neutralize the impending threat with "get back" "go back to your car" etc. SHM returns to his car. By now cars have lined up behind us. SHM begins to drive forward then pulls aside into a turnout. SHM reenters traffic behind me. We get to the bottom of the mountain, SHM continues to follow me as I drive home. SHM ends up in front of me due to normal traffic.
About four miles later on the same road, I come upon an intersection, I have the green light. Police cruiser stopped to my left at a red. SHM, in front of me, begins waving his hand and pointing to my vehicle. Cruiser lights up and pulls in front of me. I bring my vehicle to a stop in the middle of the intersection, immediately roll down my window and put both hands out. In a matter of 1 minute, about 6 cruisers and a motor unit converge on the intersection surrounding my vehicle. SHM comes to a stop 100 yards ahead of me, out of the intersection, exits his vehicle, and begins video recording with his phone. K9 unit appears behind me. 4 officers with guns drawn begin instructing me on how to exit the vehicle and walk backwards. I follow instructions, they handcuff me and sit me down on a curb. As this happens, SHM gets back into his car and drives off. Officers pull him over a mile up the road.
I recite everything to the officers as I just stated, stayed calm and described to them the make, model, caliber, and locations of the firearms I had in the vehicle. They checked everything out. They noticed SHM was gone. After they got my story, and I assume whatever SHM had to say, I hear an officer speaking to SHM on the phone, stating he made a very bad decision approaching and attacking someone's vehicle. They informed him I was licensed and acted within the law, and that he was lucky he wasn't dead. The officer told him "If you approached my vehicle the way you did, and I had a gun, I would have killed you".
They uncuffed me, gave me a cold bottle of water, and apologized. I had a good conversation with them after, and joked with the officer that initially drew down on me. The range I was returning from is located in a terrible part of town, albeit secluded in the mountain from the urban area, and people like SHM are run of the mill there. It was clear the tattooed, shirtless hispanic male was a frequent meth user from his appearance.
I was just glad the officers gave my firearms back.
About four miles later on the same road, I come upon an intersection, I have the green light. Police cruiser stopped to my left at a red. SHM, in front of me, begins waving his hand and pointing to my vehicle. Cruiser lights up and pulls in front of me. I bring my vehicle to a stop in the middle of the intersection, immediately roll down my window and put both hands out. In a matter of 1 minute, about 6 cruisers and a motor unit converge on the intersection surrounding my vehicle. SHM comes to a stop 100 yards ahead of me, out of the intersection, exits his vehicle, and begins video recording with his phone. K9 unit appears behind me. 4 officers with guns drawn begin instructing me on how to exit the vehicle and walk backwards. I follow instructions, they handcuff me and sit me down on a curb. As this happens, SHM gets back into his car and drives off. Officers pull him over a mile up the road.
I recite everything to the officers as I just stated, stayed calm and described to them the make, model, caliber, and locations of the firearms I had in the vehicle. They checked everything out. They noticed SHM was gone. After they got my story, and I assume whatever SHM had to say, I hear an officer speaking to SHM on the phone, stating he made a very bad decision approaching and attacking someone's vehicle. They informed him I was licensed and acted within the law, and that he was lucky he wasn't dead. The officer told him "If you approached my vehicle the way you did, and I had a gun, I would have killed you".
They uncuffed me, gave me a cold bottle of water, and apologized. I had a good conversation with them after, and joked with the officer that initially drew down on me. The range I was returning from is located in a terrible part of town, albeit secluded in the mountain from the urban area, and people like SHM are run of the mill there. It was clear the tattooed, shirtless hispanic male was a frequent meth user from his appearance.
I was just glad the officers gave my firearms back.
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