Driver chastised for speed pulls out gun, peeping ‘ghost’ in new Vienna police report

Tempers ran high on the roads of Vienna during the recent Fourth of July holiday weekend and last week.

A town resident told the Vienna Police Department that, around 6:35 p.m. on July 3, a driver showed a gun after he told the driver to slow down while they were both stopped for a red light at the Nutley Street and Courthouse Road intersection.

According to the Vienna police highlights for the week of July 1-7, the resident said he was going northbound on Nutley when he saw another vehicle “approaching from behind him at a high rate of speed.”

“The resident yelled at the other driver to slow down, and the driver brandished a firearm,” police said. “The driver placed the firearm in his lap and verbally threatened the resident before he made a left turn and continued westbound on Courthouse Road.”

The VPD says its officers were unable to find the driver who allegedly pulled out the gun.

Vienna police also responded to a tense encounter between a driver and pedestrian on July 1 near the intersection of George and Cottage streets.

According to the report, the pedestrian took issue with a woman driving an SUV who “began driving too close to him and his family” around 10:05 p.m.

He advised that after the driver ignored his requests to be more careful, he stopped in front of her vehicle to slow her down. The citizen stated the vehicle’s bumper made contact with his back, but he was not injured. Officers spoke to the driver, who advised that the complaining citizen was causing the issue, stopping in front of her vehicle and sitting down on her bumper, refusing to move.

Officers explained the warrant process to both individuals in case either of them decides to pursue charges in the incident, which has been classified as an assault by the police department.

In a non-vehicle-related case, a Cottage Street resident reported finding an unwelcome surprise on Independence Day outside her bedroom window.

“A resident reported that a person dressed as a ghost and wearing sunglasses was standing right outside her bedroom window for approximately 5 minutes,” the VPD said. “Once the resident saw the person, she ran out of her bedroom to alert her parents. The parents attempted to find the person but were unable to locate them.”

The peeping tom was reported in the 1200 block of Cottage Street SW at 12:02 a.m. on July 4.