Sponsored by

Passenger Accused of Brandishing Toy Gun

Send a link to a friend

[December 05, 2007]  ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- A passenger in a car accused of pointing a toy gun at the head of a friend who was driving was charged with inducing panic, authorities said.

Justin Carman, 23, brandished the toy along Interstate 70 Monday and caused a stir with at least one passing motorist who called 911, said Sgt. Jason Greenwood with the State Highway Patrol.

Carman and three friends were driving back to Ohio after attending a football game the previous night between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, authorities said.

From a distance, in a moving vehicle, the toy gun appeared to be real to the 911 caller, Greenwood said.

"At that point, we didn't know what was going on -- if it was a stolen vehicle, a kidnapping with a stolen vehicle, or if the vehicle was going to stop," he said.

Carman was in the back seat of the car when it was pulled over in eastern Ohio. He told authorities he was a student at the University of Cincinnati, Greenwood said.

[to top of second column]

A student directory on the university's Web site doesn't have a listing for Carman. No other listings could be found, and there was no immediate information on whether Carman had an attorney.

Carman posted bond and was released from the Belmont County Jail, authorities said.

[Associated Press]

< Top Stories index

Back to top