Man arrested in northern Idaho after allegedly firing gun at law enforcement
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LEWISTON — A Washington man is in custody after allegedly firing a handgun from his vehicle while driving erratically on U.S. Highway 95 near Lewiston on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident began just after 4 p.m. when Idaho State Police received a 911 call reporting a white 2020 GMC Sierra driving dangerously southbound on Lewiston Hill. The caller reported seeing the driver waving a gun through the vehicle’s sunroof and said they believed they heard gunfire coming from the truck while it was still in Washington, according to a news release from Idaho State Police. The driver allegedly fired at the caller’s vehicle at the base of the hill.
An ISP trooper located the pickup in Lewiston and initiated a high-risk traffic stop. The driver, a 58-year-old man from Sequim, Washington, was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators later learned the incident began in Whitman County, Washington, where the suspect allegedly fired a shot from his vehicle. As he drove toward Idaho, he reportedly fired again — this time in the direction of a Washington State Patrol trooper. ISP says the man admitted to intentionally discharging his firearm.
He was arrested for aggravated assault and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail. Additional charges could be filed in Washington.
The suspect’s vehicle had a large decal on its side reading “hammer and nail.” Anyone with information related to the Idaho portion of the incident is asked to contact ISP District 2 at (208) 750-9300.