By Eijiro Kawada
The Tacoma News Tribune
POULSBO — A 26-year-old Poulsbo resident was arrested Sunday night after brandishing a handgun at an off-duty Bellevue police officer who was driving on Highway 16 near the Pierce-Kitsap county line, the Washington State Patrol reported today.
The suspect, who was not identified in a news release from the State Patrol, was booked into the Pierce County Jail on the charge of display of a weapon with intent to intimidate. The handgun and a shotgun were seized from the suspect.
The off-duty officer used his cell phone to alert the State Patrol and continued following the vehicle.
This was the second such incident involving the arrest of drivers brandishing firearms on Kitsap County highways in the past six weeks, and several other incidents remain under investigation, according to the State Patrol.
The Washington State Patrol encourages drivers to follow the example of the Bellevue police officer in such incidents: Call 911 from cellular phones.
When encountering a similar situation, the witness should not chase down the other motorist with a weapon, the State Patrol said. If being followed, the witness should drive to a well-lit, populated area and seek assistance.
Copyright 2007 Tacoma News Inc.